Lobos explode in second half, rally to beat SJSU 3-1

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team could’ve easily been deterred after falling behind defending Mountain West Tournament champion San Jose State 1-0 at the half – particularly with it being a week after UNM dropped a pair of one-goal contests at home in its first two conference games.
 
However, the Lobos showed they have plenty of fight – and then some – racking up three second-half goals against the Spartans to come away with a much-needed 3-1 victory Friday evening on the road while handing SJSU its first conference loss.
 
“Every player here today played a vital role in the second half,” UNM coach Heather Dyche said. “We believed as a team if our energy and effort are right we can be great – and we got that right in the second half.”
 
The UNM (5-4-2 overall, 1-2-0 Mountain West) comeback started in the 54^th minute when a cross from Olivia Ferrier found Claire Lynch in front of the box and the junior put it away to tie the contest with San Jose State (5-3-3, 2-1-0).
 
The Lobos, who lost in a shootout to SJSU in the Mountain West Tournament semifinals last season, took the lead in the 77^th minute when a free kick by Emily Chavez from 30 yards out slipped through the hands of the leaping Spartan keeper and Maddie Irwin was there to finish it to give UNM a 2-1 advantage. It was Irwin’s fifth goal of the season.
 
UNM put the match away eight minutes later when a high-arching, well-place pass into the box by Irwin led to a one-timer right out of the air by Lynch for her second goal of the game and sixth of the season to make it 3-1 Lobos.
 
The victory for the Lobos snapped SJSU’s five match unbeaten streak (3-0-2) and UNM’s three goals is the most the Spartans have allowed this season. SJSU was tops in the MW and 21^st in the nation in goals against average at 0.54 entering Friday night.
 
Tayler Hammack played the first 67:28 of the match at keeper for the Lobos and collected two saves while Emily Johnson played the final 22:32 and also had two saves.
 
The Lobos continue their trip through California on Sunday when they take on Fresno State at 1 p.m. (MST).
 
Notes: Lynch’s two goals gives her 15 in her career and moves her up to fifth on the all-time Lobo list. One more goal will tie her for fourth. … The Lobos will look to extend their unbeaten streak over Fresno State to five Sunday (3-0-1) – which has all occurred since the Bulldogs joined the Mountain West in 2012.