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| NEW MEXICO LOBOS 4-10-0 (2-4-0 C-USA) |
MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD 5-8-2 (1-3-1 C-USA) |
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Saturday, October 27, 2018 | 7 p.m. |
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team is looking to bolster, if not cement, its chances of qualifying for the upcoming Conference USA Tournament this Saturday night against Marshall on Senior Night. Entering the contest, the Lobos are alone in sixth place with six (6) points at 2-4-0 in conference action with two C-USA games remaining.
Prior to first-kick at 7 p.m., the Lobos will honor the three seniors on this year’s team: Matt Dorsey, Simon Spangenberg, and Antoine Vial. In honor of the three seniors, tickets for the game will be $3.
vs. Marshall
Series Record: 3-1-2
In Overtime: 0-0-2
Last Meeting: Last year, the Lobos traveled to Huntington, W. Va. and came away with a 2-1 win over the Thundering Herd. After a scoreless first half, Marshall took a one-goal lead in the 47th minute. In the 67th minute, however, UNM scored the equalizer as Aaron Herrera scored off an assist by Matt Dorsey. In the 82nd minute, Sam Gleadle notched the game-winning goal off an assist by Devin Boyce.
Senior Trio
The 2018 University of New Mexico men’s soccer team features a trio of seniors with two that have played all four years at UNM. Matt Dorsey (a fifth-year player) and Simon Spangenberg have been Lobos since their freshman seasons while Antoine Vial joined the program last year as a junior. Combined, the trio has scored 13 career goals and posted five assists to total 31 points. In their combined time at UNM, the trio has logged 6,965 minutes on the pitch and helped the Lobos to 32 victories.
Stretch run of Conference Play
The Lobos are down to just two more games in C-USA play as they continue to push towards the conference tournament. In their most-recent home C-USA game, the Lobos upended South Carolina at home 2-1. That win was significant to the Lobos’ postseason aspirations as it eleveated them from eighth place in the standings to sixth. Despite a road loss to #3 Kentucky their last game, the Lobos remain in sixth place. The top-seven teams in the standings make the C-USA Tournament.
The Lobos have two more games on their docket. First the Lobos take on Marshall on October 27 for their last home game of the season, then the Lobos’ will play their final road game of the season, also the regular-season finale, at Charlotte on November 3.
Tournament In Sight
With two more week’s to play, the Lobos are in position to qualify for the upcoming Conference USA Tournament held in Charlotte, N.C. Currently in sixth place in the standings, the Lobos have a prime opportunity to solidify their place in the tournament as their next opponent, Marshall, is two points behind UNM. Any form of a point registered by the Lobos will go a long way towards postseason play.
GOAAAAAL! New Mexico!
Entering play this weekend, the Lobos have scored 20 goals in 14 games. Freshman Omar Grey currently leads the team with five goals, followed by sophomore Matt Puig with four. Sophomore Nick Taylor and senior Antoine Vial are third on the team with three. Senior Simon Spangenberg has two goals. Redshirt-sophomores Billy Jones and Grayson Dupont as well as redshirt-senior Matt Dorsey account for the remaining goals with one apiece.
Schedule Full of Ranked Teams
In their most-recent game, the Lobos played yet another nationally-ranked opponent in No. 3 Kentucky. Prior to that game with the Wildcats, the Lobos had faced six ranked opponents.
The influx of nationally-ranked foes started early in the season for the Lobos as four of UNM’s first five matchups of the season were against ranked squads at the time of the game including No. 22 Seattle (8/24) , No. 24 Washington (8/27), No. 30 Cal State Fullerton (9/2) and No. 23 Tulsa (9/7). Half of those ranked matchups came at home with the Lobos hosting Seattle and Washington in consecutive games. UNM went 1-1-0 against those opponents and were also 1-1-0 against ranked teams on the road during that early stretch.
In their victories against Seattle and Cal State Fullerton, the Lobos scored a combined nine goals with five coming against Cal State Fullerton. CSUN was also ranked at one point this season, making the first five squads the Lobos have taken on, be top-30 teams in 2018. Old Dominion was receiving votes in the national poll at the time of the game against the Lobos and now the Monarchs are currently ranked.
Saint Mary’s, UNM’s opponent on September 26 was ranked No. 10 at the time making them the sixth opponent the Lobos have played be ranked at the time of the game.