BOISE, Idaho – Heather Dyche’s Lobos are clicking on all cylinders. The Lobos got a second half goal from Madisyn Olguin and Dylann O’Connor had a goal and an assist as UNM defeated the Boise State Broncos 2-1 to move to 2-0-0 in Mountain West play.
The 2-0-0 start marks the first 2-0-0 start for the Lobos in conference play (either Mountain West or WAC) in which both opening wins were on the road. The Lobos are now 4-5-0 overall with three of those losses to nationally-ranked teams.
UNM got on the board quickly just 2:14 into the contest when Dylann O’Connor picked up a loose clearance and shot one far post from near the 18 for a 1-0 Lobo lead. That lead held up until the 24th minute when Dani Brown hit a volley near the top of the box into the upper corner past Cassie Ulrich, who had no chance on it. That strike leveled the game at one and saw Boise State put some pressure on UNM. However, UNM’s backline really never allowed anything dangerous, keeping the Broncos to shooting from distance.
Right after the break, UNM got the goal they needed when Korynn Blanksma corralled a pass at the right side of the box and slipped a pass to O’Connor. Dylann had a crack which was redirected into the near side-netting by Olguin in the 49th minute.
That goal held up for UNM as Ulrich was forced to make just one save in the final 40 minutes, that coming off a header from Brooke Heidemann that was easily handled.
QUOTES
“I thought Boise State was outstanding. They keep the ball, and they connect passes. In the first half they were better team than we were. But, in the second half we made some adjustments, played a little higher and I think that disrupted them a bit.”
“I thought both of our goals were quality. Our seniors were really good today. Both goals were by seniors, and Cassie played well in net.”
“I thought our back four were outstanding again. We really are limiting quality chances.”
-Head Coach Heather Dyche
STARTERS
New Mexico: Ulrich (GK), Munoz, Chavez, Edemann, Jimenez, Coonrod, Irwin, Lynch, Blanksma, O’Connor and Olguin.
Boise State: Flores (GK), Standlee, Reed, Taylor, Heidemann, Tucker, Vogel, Blaser, Clayton, Campbell and Devries
SCORING SUMMARY
New Mexico: Dylann O’Connor (1) (unassisted), 2:14
Boise State: Dani Brown (1) (Kayla Tucker, Sarah Taylor) 23:59
New Mexico: Madisyn Olguin (2) (Dylann O’Connor, Korynn Blanksma) 48:58
NOTES
*New Mexico has now started 2-0-0 in MW in three of the last six years (2010, 2013).
*Cassie Ulrich is now third on the career wins list with 22. Next up in second place is Kristen Winters with 28.
*UNM is now 6-1-0 all-time against Boise State.
NEXT UP
New Mexico returns home to take on Nevada on Friday night at the UNM Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. and then UNLV at home on Sunday at 1 p.m.