LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss as UNLV scored with three seconds left to beat the Lobos 2-1 Sunday afternoon at Peter Johann Memorial Field.
New Mexico (6-6-2 overall, 2-4-0 Mountain West) and the Rebels (11-3-1, 4-1-1) appeared destined for overtime tied at 1-1 as the ball was bounced back and forth in the final 20 seconds of the contest.
However, UNLV’s Sophie Cortes tapped the ball to Jordan Magnin who found herself with room from 40-plus yards out. Magnin let it fly and her shot floated high into the air and into the top right corner of the net – just out of the reach of leaping Lobo keeper Tayler Hammack – to give the Rebels a 2-1 lead with only three seconds remaining in the game.
It’s the Lobos’ fourth one-goal loss of the season and is the first time they’ve lost this season when scoring first in the game.
Despite the loss, UNM coach Heather Dyche was pleased with the play on the field and the effort the Lobos showed Sunday after picking up a win Friday at Nevada.
“We had a tough loss in Fresno last week (3-0 at Fresno State), and I’m really pleased with how we responded this weekend,” Dyche said. “A great win Friday night and one of our best games of the season today.”
New Mexico took a 1-0 advantage in just the fifth minute when Brooke Webster took a pass from Maddie Irwin and crossed it to Olivia Ferrier who beat the UNLV keeper to give the Lobos an early edge.
The Lobos kept the 1-0 lead for more than 60 minutes before UNLV scored on a header from Chidera Akubiulo on a free kick from Georgia Kingman in the 68th minute to tie the score on a goal set up by a New Mexico foul. The Lobos were whistled for 13 fouls in the contest compared to two on UNLV.
New Mexico had its chances to take a lead, including a near miss by Gwen Maly in the 72nd minute when her sliding left-foot shot floated high in the air and scraped the top of the crossbar and landed on top of the goal.
Overall New Mexico outshot the Rebels 15-12 (including 7-3 on shots on goal). Maly in just 20 minutes of play led the Lobos with four shots (two on goal) while Irwin had three shots with two of those on goal.
Hammack finished with one save for the Lobos at keeper.
New Mexico returns home to take on first-place Utah State 7:30 p.m. Friday at UNM Soccer Complex.
Notes: Ferrier’s goal was the first of her career in the senior defender’s 46th game and 29th start. … Sophomore Amelia Bierle made the first start of her career for the Lobos (15th game). … Five of Lobos’ 11 starters graduated from a New Mexico high school (Emily Chavez – La Cueva; Claire Lynch – Volcano Vista; Amelia Bierle – Carlsbad; Olivia Ferrier – Volcano Vista; Tayler Hammack – Socorro).