Lobos stake claim on third MW championship in school history
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The remarkable month of October continued on Friday night for the University of New Mexico women’s soccer team as they defeated San Diego State on the road, 3-1. The win improved UNM to 5-0-2 in the month of October, but more importantly, it helped secure the team their third Mountain West Conference regular season championship in school history (2010 & 2011).
While taking care of business on their end, the Lobos (11-5-2, 7-2-2 MW) came into the final day of the regular season needing some help in order to make that third title a possibility. Even before their game kicked off, the Lobos knew they had a chance at a share of the league championship when Boise State was upended by Utah State, 2-1 in double overtime. Not long after that decision, Wyoming claimed a share of the championship as they beat Colorado State 1-0.
There was also a very real possibility for the conference title to be a quad-championship had San Jose State come away with a win against Fresno State. Instead, once the final whistle blew in that game, San Jose and Fresno played to a scoreless draw, making it just a three-way championship between Boise State, Wyoming and UNM.
Despite the share of the Mountain West regular season title, the Lobos were unable to move up to one of the top-two seeds in the upcoming conference tournament to earn an opening round bye as tiebreakers seeded the Lobos third. As the No. 3-seed, UNM will play in the quarterfinal round against No. 6-seed Colorado College. That game is scheduled to be played on Tuesday, October 30 at 5 p.m. (MT).
In the game on Friday night, UNM got on the scoreboard early over the Aztecs (6-10-3, 4-3-3 MW) as in the 13th-minute, Jennifer Munoz was in the right place at the right time. The senior was just outside the box as the Aztecs attempted to clear the ball, but it went right to Munoz, who one-timed it past the SDSU keeper.
The Aztecs would score an equalizing goal in the 26th-minute to knot the game at one-all. Just over 10 minutes later and before the end of the first half, UNM regained the lead on a headed goal by Jadyn Edwards. Edwards was set up for the goal thanks to a great cross into the box by Gwen Maly. The goal was the second of the season for Edwards and it was the first assist for Maly.
After taking a one-goal lead into the break, the Lobos did not waste much time in adding some insurance as Munoz found the back of the net for the second time in the game. As was the case the previous time, Munoz was in the right place at the right time. This time, the goal-scoring opportunity was started by Jill Oguin, who sent a cross from the near right corner of the field into the box where it was then headed by Alesia Garcia. Off the header, Munoz was able to control the ball down to her feet where she then shot left past the Aztecs’ keeper.
The pair of goals push Munoz’s season total up to four. She is also the second Lobo to score multiple times in a game, joining Gwen Maly.
The Lobos will now prepare for a postseason run with their aforementioned quarterfinal matchup with No. 6-seed Colorado College on tap for Tuesday, October 30 at 5 p.m. MT.