UNM GAME NOTES | IN-GAME UPDATES ON @UNMLOBOWSOCCER
Friday, Sept. 1 – 6 p.m.
New Mexico vs. Portland
Seattle, Wash. – Husky Soccer Stadium
LIVE STREAM
Monday, Sept. 4 – 1 p.m.
New Mexico at Washington
Seattle, Wash. – Husky Soccer Stadium
LIVE STREAM / LIVE STATS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team travels to the Northwest this week as the Lobos take on the University of Portland 6 p.m. (MT) Friday and the University of Washington 1 p.m. (MT) Monday with both games being played at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle.
The Lobos (2-2) split a regional road trip last week, falling at New Mexico State 1-0 on Thursday when the Aggies scored with 46 seconds remaining (UNM outshot NMSU 18-6 in the contest) and defeating UTEP 1-0 Sunday in overtime on Jill Olguin’s first collegiate goal (assisted by Eileen Zendejas) three minutes into the extra period.
The Lobos face Portland – a program that won national titles in 2002 and 2005 – for only the second time in program history and for the first time since 1995 – UNM women’s soccer’s third year of existence (the Lobos lost, 10-0, in Portland). The Pilots are 2-2 this season, beating Portland State (2-1) and UC Davis (1-0) and losing to NC State (1-0) and UC Irvine (3-0).
As for Monday’s matchup with Washington, it will be the first time these programs have played since Sept. 11, 2011, in Portland, Oregon – a contest UNM lost 2-1 in overtime. The teams’ only other meeting came Sept. 22, 2006, a 1-0 Washington win in Seattle. The Huskies are 2-2 this season, beating Michigan State (4-0) and Illinois (2-1) on the road while losing to Michigan on the road (2-0) and SMU at home (2-1).
NOTES HEADING INTO FRIDAY:
- There will be a connection to the Lobos’ past in Monday’s contest with Washington as UNM’s first coach in program history Amy Griffin (Allmann) is the associate head coach for the Huskies. Griffin coached the Lobos from 1993-95.
- UNM has shown through four games that not only are they stingy on goals (tied for first in MW with three allowed), but also on shots as they are allowing 8.0 per game.
- In her first year as a starter, sophomore Emily Johnson has already picked up two shutouts in her first four career starts – including blanking UTEP in the Lobos’ 1-0 overtime win on Sunday in El Paso. Over the last three games, Johnson has allowed just one goal.
- UNM freshman Leilani Baker made her first career start Sunday against UTEP during the Lobos’ 1-0 victory in El Paso. The Rio Rancho, New Mexico, native played 67 minutes and took one shot on goal. Baker has an assist on the season for the Lobos, coming against GCU on Aug. 20.
- The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team truly represents the Land of Enchantment as there are 15 players on the roster from New Mexico. The 15 players come from five different cities with Albuquerque represented the most with 11 players. The Lobos also have a player each from Rio Rancho, Portales, Farmington and Carlsbad.
- While it’s only four games into the season, UNM is showing it’s able to get chances at a better clip than in 2016. Last season UNM averaged 14.2 shots per game while four games into this season UNM is averaging 20.0 shots per match. UNM is also holding opponents to fewer shots per game thus far – limiting teams to 8.0 shots per contest compared to 13.1 last season. The Lobos’ 80 shots this season are second in the Mountain West (UNLV has 85).
- The Lobos have had their share of chances with corner kicks early in 2017 – leading the conference with 29 of them, three ahead of UNLV and at least 10 more than every other team in the conference.
- Senior Emily Chavez enters her fourth season as a starter for the Lobos and is on a 60-match starting streak. Not only has the Albuquerque native started every game of her Lobo career, the center back has led the Lobos in minutes played each season and has accumulated more than 5,000 career minutes at UNM. She’s played all 363 minutes for the Lobos this season.
- Along with the success on the field, the UNM women’s soccer program is proving to be one of the top teams off of it as well as the Lobos put together a 3.77 GPA in the 2017 spring semester. It’s the 14th-consecutive semester UNM women’s soccer has put together a 3.4 GPA or better.
- The Lobos will have an alum playing overseas professionally as Brooke Webster will be playing for a team in Denmark – Varde IF in the 3F Ligaen. The Huntington Beach, California, native was a steady force for UNM during her four seasons – logging more than 3,300 minutes as a Lobo and capping her career by hitting a game-ending penalty kick against San Diego State in UNM’s 2016 season finale.
- Maddie Irwin, who just finished her final season with the Lobos in 2016, will be playing for the United States at the World University Games from Aug. 19-30 in Taipei. She is joining 16 current and former student-athletes that will be competing at the 2017 Summer Universiade (another name for the World University Games) – where more than 120 countries will compete in 22 sports. The Tucson, Arizona, native finished her career with 11 goals and four assists in 73 career games – including 52 starts (she started every game for the Lobos in her final two seasons).
Follow the UNM women’s soccer team on Twitter (@UNMLoboWSoccer) or on Instagram (@UNMLoboWSoccer) for updates and information on your Lobos!