SEATTLE — Emily Johnson kept The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team in the contest with a season-best five saves against a Washington team just days off upsetting No. 2 Florida as the two teams headed into overtime scoreless Monday afternoon.
But there was nothing the sophomore keeper could do to keep Washington’s 19th shot of the game out of the back of the net.
The Lobos cleared a Washington corner kick in the 95th minute to the top of the box, but it found a Husky who booted it toward the goal and another Husky got her head on it to redirect it into the goal to hand UNM a 1-0 defeat at Husky Soccer Stadium.
It broke the Lobos’ (3-3) two-game win streak and was the first goal allowed by UNM in 277 minutes – including a 1-0 victory over Portland in Seattle on Friday, a program that has a pair of national titles under its belt over the last 15 years.
“I’m really proud of our team this whole weekend,” UNM coach Heather Dyche said. “We represented our university and New Mexico really well I felt all weekend. To get a huge win against Portland and to take a really talented Washington team to overtime is outstanding.”
Sunday’s loss was the fifth-straight 1-0 result for the Lobos (UNM is 3-2 over that stretch).
Unlike their first five games where UNM outshot their opponents in each contest and 96-37 overall, it was the Lobos fighting off their opponents’ chances as Washington (4-2) outshot UNM 19-6.
But, the Lobos still had their looks – including early in the second half when Claire Lynch got a shot on goal in the 48th minute, only to be saved. Lynch had UNM’s other shot on goal in the contest in the 28th minute.
UNM’s last good look came in the 75th minute when a corner kick from Jennifer Munoz was shot toward the goal by Quincy Slora – but went high as the game remained scoreless.
It stayed that way until overtime when Washington used a corner that was booted out, but not far enough as the Huskies’ Dominique Bond-Flasza one-timed it just outside the top of the penalty area toward the goal. Just outside the goal box, Kimberly Keever put a head on the shot to redirect it into the goal and give the Huskies the win.
Johnson finished the game with a season-best five saves as the Lobos faced a season-high 19 shots. On the other side, UNM took a season-low six shots with Lynch taking a team-high two shots (both on goal). Munoz, Slora, Alexa Kirton and Bailey Webster each got a shot off as well for UNM.
The Lobos don’t play again until they host Houston on Sept. 15 at UNM Soccer Complex.