Lobo Soccer- at Old Dominion Sports Complex (4,000)
When: Saturday at 5 p.m. (MT)
Who: Old Dominion Monarchs
GoLobos.com: Live stats, box score, live stream, postgame recap
Live stats: Available at this link: http://www.odusports.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
Video: There will be a fee-based stream available with a link at www.golobos.com
Weather Forecast: 63 degrees, cloudy, 20 percent chance of rain
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – So far the Conference USA schedule hasn’t done the University of New Mexico men’s soccer team any favors. The Lobos opened C-USA play with a road game at South Carolina, which the Lobos lost in overtime. That was followed by a home match against Kentucky, which UNM lost with just 1:26 remaining in double overtime. Those two teams are currently tied for first in the standings. Right behind them is 11th-ranked Old Dominion, which just happens to be the Lobos’ opponent this weekend. UNM only has one choice, though: play the hand it has been dealt.
“It’s going to be a real test of our character to see if we can regroup and play with the passion and the expectations that we’ll need to beat a good team like Old Dominion on the road,” UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein said. “You see our opponents and one after another is ranked. Almost all of our opponents this year have been ranked, and I think that’s a great thing. It’s a challenge our team wants to go into Old Dominion, but we have to be good.”
The Lobos do have to be good to avoid falling to 0-3-0 in the conference. That would likely put them in a hole too deep to dig out of with just five league games remaining. UNM hasn’t played poorly, though, and is about 12 total minutes away from being 0-0-2 instead of 0-2-0. But the Lobos want, and expect, to win this game. It’s the mindset Fishbein instills in his players and the same one he carries into each match.
“We’ve got to continue playing passionately and with the quality we’re capable of,” he said. “You have to approach every game like it’s a big game. We have to be good every game. We have six conference games left and one non-conference, and we have a team that’s capable of winning all seven.”
The Lobos will be without one of their top freshmen this weekend, though, because defender Aaron Herrera was called up to the U.S. U20 team to play three friendlies in Germany.
“It’s quite an honor for Aaron,” said Fishbein, “but it’s our challenge to not let that disrupt you. And it’s an opportunity for someone else to come in and be really good, and I think we’ll see that on Saturday.”
Series Record: 2-1-0
Home: 1-0-0; Road: 1-1-0; Neutral: 0-0-0
Last meeting: The teams split their matchups last season, with UNM winning 4-0 at home, and ODU winning 2-1 in the C-USA Tournament in Norfolk.
Up Next: The Lobos return home for their final non-conference match of the season when they host Valparaiso on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m.
SCOUTING OLD DOMINION … The Monarchs are one of the current front-runners in Conference USA, as well as one of the highest-scoring teams in the country. They average 2.5 goals per game, which is tied for fourth in the nation. They have four players with at least three goals, and since their season-opener (a 2-0 loss at Coastal Carolina), they have scored multiple goals in every game except one. Their defense, meanwhile, has been almost as good, limiting opponents to less than a goal per game. Redshirt junior keeper Alex Tiesenhausen owns a save percentage of .805 and two shutouts. ODU also has an experienced backline that features two juniors and two seniors.
HERRERA CALLED UP TO U.S. U20 … Freshman defender Aaron Herrera has been called up to the U.S. U20 team for three friendlies in Germany this weekend and will miss UNM’s match at ODU.
RPI UPDATE … The Lobos checked in at No. 29 in the latest NCAA RPI update, which is second in Conference USA behind only South Carolina. Kentucky is 48th in the rankings.
WEHAN ENTERS TOP 10 … Chris Wehan’s scored the 21st goal of his career on Sept. 30 against San Francisco. That moved him into sole possession of 10th in UNM history. James Rogers and Lance Watson are tied for eighth with 22.
NSCAA TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD … The Lobos earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award on Sept. 23, the fourth straight year they’ve accomplished that. It’s the 12th time under Coach Fishbein the Lobos have earned the award. Their 3.44 team GPA was the fourth highest among all Division I men’s soccer programs.
BACK-TO-BACK AWARD SWEEPS … UNM swept the Conference USA Player of the Week Awards for the second straight week. Niko Hansen and Nicholas Rochowski were named C-USA Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, on Sept. 21. The Lobos have won six of the eight awards handed out this season.
LOBOS WIN TLC INVITATIONAL … UNM won the TLC Plumbing & Utility Invitational last weekend courtesy of their wins over Missouri State (1-0) and No. 21 American (2-1, OT). Niko Hansen was named Tournament MVP and Offensive MVP, Nicholas Rochowski was the Defensive MVP, and Francesco Casucci and Patrick Khouri were named to the All-Tournament Team.
NO QUIT … Amazingly the Lobos did not score in the first half until their ninth match of the season, against USF on Sept. 30, and they have found themselves trailing at the half five times in 2015. However, they have done pretty well in those matches, going 3-1-1.