SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jill Olguin’s second half header of a long flip throw tucked itself just under the crossbar. That goal was UNM’s program record 43rd of the season, but more importly it gave UNM a 3-2 lead, and that held as the final, sending UNM past Colorado College and into a semifinal date on Thursday with fellow co-champion Wyoming.
The Lobos improved to 12-5-2 overall while Colorado College finished its season at 9-8-2. The Lobos will now be looking to exact a little revenge against Wyoming, which handed the Lobos their only home defeat of the season, 3-2 back on September 23.
The win over Colorado College was UNM’s fifth in a row, and UNM is now 6-0-2 in its last eight matches, the best current streak in the Mountain West.
After a 2-2 halftime tie, the pace slowed a little in the second half, although Colorado College had more shots, UNM had the better of quality chances. Nearly 22 minutes into the half, the Lobos broke the tie for good. Jessica Nelson took a flip throw-in nearly 40 yards away from goal and with the wind at her back sent it into the box. The ball bounced over a trio of players and Jill Olguin was able to flick the ball past a helpless Tiger keeper in Jade Odom for the 3-2 lead.
That lead was never really threatened. Colorado College had two good scoring chances, but a low liner was handled by Emily Johnson, and a second shot from in front was blocked and cleared away.
UNM opened the game about as well as a team could, scoring just 32 ticks into the contest when amelia Bierle sent a low ball across the box that managed to avoid just about everyone. Jaelyn Hendren, a freshmen defender with exactly zero career points, ran all the way onto it and tucked it home for her first career goal and a 1-0 lead.
That lasted about 21 minutes. Lauren Millet sent a long free kick that the wind got a hold of and carried it past Johnson for the tie. Jen Muñoz helped UNM regain the lead when Leilani Baker’s pass was intercepted, and then Muñoz stole it back and sent a shot deftly to the back post for a 2-1 lead. It looked like that’s how it would get to halftime, but a late corner netted a goal for Kiley Suter of the Tigers after a scramble in front of the net with just 35 seconds left.
UNM was outshot for the day 18-11 and 6-5 on net.
NOTES: UNM’s 24 wins in back-to-back seasons is tied for the third best back-to-back win total, behind 26 in 1996-97 and 25 in 2009-10 … the game-winner was Olguin’s second of the season … despite getting to the finals last year, this was UNM’s first official conference tournament win since a 2-0 win over UNLV in the 2015 quarterfinals, as UNM advanced twice on PKs last year after tie games.