ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – San Diego State’s Leah Pruitt blasted a shot that Cassie Ulrich got a piece of, but it just trickled over the line, giving the Aztecs a 2-1 victory over the Lobos and knocking UNM into third place in the Mountain West.
The win for San Diego State (14-4-0, 10-1-0 MW) was a 10th straight for the Aztecs. UNM (9-8-1, 7-3-1 MW) needed a win to finish in second place ahead of San José State, who won 2-0 earlier in the day. Things looked promising early when Maddie Irwin danced around a defender and slotted home a perfect shot into the lower right corner for a 1-0 lead with 9:47 left in the first half.
The Aztecs equalized right before halftime when Hailey Balma hit a rocket from about 25 yards out that went over keeper Cassie Ulrich’s head and dipped just under the bar to level the match at 1-1.
It stayed that way as Ulrich came up big time and again, making five saves, three in the second half. UNM looked to take the lead when Madisyn Olguin’s in-close shot was saved by Melanie Vaughn and the rebound went right to Claire Lynch, but her follow was inches high.
SDSU won it with 3:53 left when Hedda Regefalk sent in a pass to Pruitt, who spun into the box for a mini-breakaway. She fired from in close and Ulrich somehow got a piece of it, but its momentum carried it past her. Emily Chavez’ nearly cleared it off the line, but the ball trickled in for the game-winner.
The Lobos now get to head out on the road to redemption, as their path to a conference tournament title features the three teams that defeated them this year. UNM will be the No. 3 seed and take on UNLV at 5 p.m. Mountain Time, which finished tied for fifth with Colorado College at 6-5-0. Colorado College became the No. 5 seed by virtue of its 2-1 win over UNLV, dropping the Rebels into No. 6 and against UNM. The Tigers face Wyoming, who is the No. 4 seed after going 6-4-1 and defeating Colorado State earlier on Friday.
UNM with a win would face San José State, who defeated UNM in overtime 2-1. Had that game drawn or gone UNM’s way, the Lobos would be the No. 2 seed. Should UNM advance to the semifinals, that game would also be at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
The Mountain West championship game is on Saturday at 8 p.m. Mountain Time
STARTERS
New Mexico: Ulrich (GK), O’Connor, Guice, Blanksman, Chavez, Irwin, Wheeler, Coonrod, Olguin, Jimenez, Munoz.
San Diego State: Vaughn (GK), Moses, Barba, Regefalk, Mitchell, Moran, Rupey, Utush, Hauke, Pruitt, Balma
SCORING SUMMARY
New Mexico: Maddie Irwin (2) (unassisted),35:13
San Diego State: Hailey Balma (1) (unassisted), 41:23
San Diego State: Leah Pruitt (10) (Hedda Regefalk), 86:07
NOTES
*UNM and San Diego State have now ruined each other’s senior nights in alternating years for three straight. SDSU won on UNM’s senior night in 2013 and 2015, and UNM beat San Diego State on it senior night in 2014.
*Maddie Irwin scored for the second straight game.
*UNM ended up just 3-5 at home. UNM is 6-3-1 on the road.
NEXT UP
New Mexico takes on UNLV in San Diego in the Mountain West Tournament Quarterfinals on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.
Lobos Fall in FInal Minutes to SDSU, Finish Third
