LARAMIE, Wyo. — The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team secured a spot into the Mountain West Tournament and kept getting a bye in the first round in its own hands as the Lobos defeated Wyoming 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Madrid Sports Complex.
The victory moved UNM to 12-6 overall and 7-3 in Mountain West play – giving the Lobos 21 points, a point ahead of both San Diego State and Boise State. This sets up a crucial season finale for the Lobos 7:30 p.m. Friday when UNM hosts the Aztecs with the winner claiming the bye for the first round of the Mountain West Tournament held in Las Vegas (SDSU holds the tiebreaker over Boise State). A tie and a Boise State win means the Broncos would snag the No. 2 spot and bye in next week’s MW Tournament. San Jose State secured the regular-season title with a 3-1 win over Air Force on Sunday
The Lobos put themselves in the position for a bye by scoring multiple goals for the third game in a row Friday – though for the 15th time in 18 games, the contest came down to one goal.
UNM got on the board first in the eighth minute when a long Alexa Cabrales was headed by a Wyoming defender in front of the box with Jessie Hix putting pressure on her and it went into the goal to give the Lobos a 1-0 advantage.
8′ | GOAL! An own goal by Wyoming set up by Cabrales’ long throw in gives the Lobos a 1-0 lead. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/PVs92j34nO
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 22, 2017
The score remained that way until the second half when Wyoming (7-9-2, 3-6-1) scored in the 49th minute on an Annika Clayton goal to even the score 1-1.
However, less than two minutes later a UNM corner kick was softly punched out by the Wyoming keeper and senior Eileen Zendejas was there to trap it and kick it into the net to give the Lobos a 2-1 advantage. It was Zendejas’ first career goal.
52′ | GOAL!!!! Eileen Zendejas scores off the rebound to give the Lobos a 2-1 lead on Wyoming. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/iyw9k7zWTl
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 22, 2017
The Lobos pushed the lead to 3-1 in the 68th minute as a Jessica Nelson flip throw in led to Claire Lynch one-timing a shot that hit the cross bar and bounced down where Jessie Hix was there to head it in off the bounce. It was Hix’s sixth goal of the season – all coming via headers.
68′ | GOAL!!! A Nelson throw in and a Lynch shot off the cross bar leads to a Hix header for a goal to make it 3-1 Lobos! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/spnMH3ErPS
— Lobo Women’s Soccer (@UNMLoboWSoccer) October 22, 2017
But Wyoming didn’t go away quietly as the Cowgirls scored in the 84th minute to cut the Lobo lead to one at 3-2, but UNM was able to hold off Wyoming over the final six minutes to pick up the victory.
“Laramie is one of the hardest places in the country to play and they are a very hard working and strong team,” UNM coach Heather Dyche said. “I’m really proud of our team to be able to come in here and find a way to win.”
The Lobos took 10 shots in the contest compared to 11 for Wyoming with UNM taking five shots on goal and the Cowgirls six. Lynch led the Lobos with three shots with Jill Olguin and Hix taking two shots apiece.
The victory is Dyche’s 31st in her UNM career – the most by a Lobo coach in their first three seasons in program history (John DeWitt held the record at 30).
UNM keeper Emily Johnson finished with four saves and moved her record to 12-6 on the season.
Again, UNM will host its senior day 7:30 p.m. Friday against San Diego State at UNM Soccer Complex with a chance to secure second place and a bye in the Mountain West Tournament.
Scenarios for No. 2 Spot and Bye in Mountain West Tournament
SDSU (20 pts) at UNM, (21 pts), 7:30 p.m. Friday
Boise State (20 pts) at Utah State, 3 p.m. Friday
– UNM gets bye with: UNM win or UNM/SDSU tie & BSU tie/loss
– SDSU gets bye with: SDSU win (owns head-to-head vs. Boise State)
– BSU gets bye with: UNM/SDSU tie & BSU win