ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team claimed its second straight exhibition shutout on Thursday morning as the Lobos downed the Skyhawks of Fort Lewis at the UNM Soccer Complex by a score of 4-0.
Sophomore Simon Spangenberg got the scoring started early, netting the Lobos’ first goal just 2:11 into the first half. Spangenberg collected a loose ball near the top of the box and fired past the Skyhawks’ keeper straight into the center of the net for the 1-0 edge.
The scoring stalled for the remainder of the second half, sending the teams into the locker room with the Lobos up by one. However, UNM regained its energy in the second half to score three goals and take a commanding 9-3 shot advantage.
“It was kind of a game of two halves,” head coach Jeremy Fishbein said. “We got an early goal, maybe [were] a little too comfortable, a little too casual with that first group and the second half we started a bunch of the young guys who I think felt they really had something to prove, played a little bit different energy. I thought we were really good the second half.”
In the 57th minute, aggressive play by both sides and a Skyhawk yellow card led to a free kick for redshirt sophomore Gabriel Camera, his second of the day. He sent a strong shot off the left post before junior Luke Lawrence collected it and sent it to senior Niko Hansen who quickly found the back of the net. The goal put the Lobos up 2-0 and marks Hansen’s third goal in the past two exhibition games.
Just 1:35 later, UNM secured another free kick opportunity for Camera who fired from the top of the box past the goal line to put the Lobos up 3-0.
“The second [free kick opportunity] hit the left post, went to Luke, Luke was able to cross it back and Niko scored,” Camera said. “And on the third free kick, the third try, I was able to connect the ball well. A lot of practice, a lot of repetition at practice, and it went in the goal. The goalie got a little touch on it but it still went in.”
In the 67th minute, a Skyhawk penalty in the box allowed redshirt freshman Devin Boyce to take a penalty shot from 12 yards. The shot went toward the right post and looked to be good before Fort Lewis’ keeper Elliot Chadderton managed an athletic diving save to prevent the Lobos from going up by four.
UNM ultimately claimed its fourth goal, however, with just 1:08 left on the clock when freshman Billy Jones took a header off of a Boyce corner kick and sent it into the net, 4-0 Lobos.
Overall, New Mexico outshot Fort Lewis 15-4 and tallied 10 corner kicks to the Skyhawks’ two. Junior goalkeeper Jason Beaulieu earns his second exhibition shutout with the victory.
“You can’t read into anything too much,” Fishbein said. “We’ve got a great test Saturday night against the University of Washington and I think going into the season we’ll have a good feel for everything.”
The Lobos wrap up exhibition play this Saturday, August 20, against Washington at 6 p.m. at the UNM Soccer Complex.