SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Lindsey Guice really likes the Mountain West Tournament. More than that, she really doesn’t want her career to end just yet. Guice scored the game-winner early in the second half, and then assisted on an insurance goal as New Mexico defeated UNLV 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament.
The Lobos (10-8-1) advance as the No. 3 seed to take on the No. 2 seed San José State on Thursday at 5 p.m. Mountain Time at the San Diego State Sports Deck.
After a scoreless opening half that saw UNM get perhaps the best chance on a long shot by Claire Lynch off a corner kick that was barely saved at the nearside post by keeper Jessie Clark, UNM got on the board 7:55 in the second half when Alyssa Coonrod came down the right side and sent a ball through the box. Lindsey Guice, who was named All-MW Tournament last year, drilled it home past a helpless Clark for a 1-0 lead.
It stayed that way until the 71st minute when Emily Chavez hit a free kick into the box that Guice headed down. Claire Lynch ran on and slotted home for the clincher, getting to the ball just before Clark.
Cassie Ulrich was perfect in net, recording five saves in picking up her sixth shutout of the season. She had help from her backline of Coonrod, Chavez, Isabella Jimenez, Jen Munoz and Brooke Webster.
STARTERS
New Mexico: Ulrich (GK), O’Connor, Guice, Chavez, Irwin, Lynch, Wheeler, Coonrod, Olguin, Jimenez, Munoz.
UNLV: Clark (GK), Murnan, Blazak, Bernal, Magnin, Sandoval, Candioglos, Barber, Wilson, Weber, Akubuilo
SCORING SUMMARY
New Mexico: Lindsey Guice (4) (Alyssa Coonrod), 52:55
New Mexico: Claire Lynch (5) (Emily Chavez, Lindsey Guice), 70:14
NOTES
*The Lobos improved to 21-2 in their last 23 games when scoring two or more goals.
*Ulrich tied Kristen Winters for second place on the UNM wins list with 28. The shutout was her 19th, one behind Shannon Adragna for third place.
*The game-winning goal was the fifth of Guice’s career, and it ties her for fifth all-time at UNM.
*The match statistically was pretty even, with shots 14-13 UNLV, saves 5-5, corners 5-4 UNM, and fouls 11-11.
*History is not on UNM’s side. The Lobos are 1-4 against No. 2 seeds in the tournament, having lost the last four. This will be the first Mountain West Tournament meeting between UNM and San José State.
NEXT UP
New Mexico takes on San José State in San Diego in the Mountain West Tournament Semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.
Guice Helps Send Lobos to Semis with 2-0 Win Over UNLV
