Lobos Stifled at CSUN Despite Strong Attack
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. — Despite outshooting its opponent 14-10, including a 9-4 mark in shots on goal, The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team was shut out by a score of 1-0 by CSUN on the road on Friday night.
The loss marks the first time in the last five meetings that the Lobos (1-2) have fallen to the Matadors (2-1), who dropped a narrow 2-0 contest to preseason No. 1 Stanford in exhibition play this season.
“Tonight was a tough one but I thought we played really well – especially in the second half. We outshot, had more corners, created chances, but their keeper really stood on his head tonight, he had a great game and we just didn’t finish,” head coach Jeremy Fishbein said.
“Games are lost on a few key moments and your attacking players need to take their chances, we just didn’t do that tonight. We have to recover and get ready to play against a really good team on Sunday.”
CSUN’s offense started out hot from the onset of the match with the Matadors posting three shots in a matter of a minute – just seven minutes into the contest. All three were blocked by the solid Lobo defense that kept CSUN scoreless through 72 minutes of play and the squad would register just seven more throughout the rest of the match.
Sophomore Nick Taylor registered the first shot on goal for UNM in the 15th minute, but CSUN keeper Henrick Regitnig denied the advance to keep the Lobos scoreless.
CSUN outshot the Lobos in the first half, 6-3, while UNM held a commanding advantage in shots in the second period 11-4.
Not only did the Lobos outshoot the Matadors, but they dominated in corner kick opportunities as well, 6-1. CSUN posted its lone corner in the first half before the Lobos rattled off six in the second, including three within five minutes.
Senior Antoine Vial fired off the trio of corner kicks from the 61:07 mark to 65:42 on the clock and freshman Omar Grey nailed header after header as the two looked like a dynamic duo in the box. Grey’s headers just missed however and the Lobos remained scoreless. Grey led the Lobo offense with five shots, two on goal, in just 56 minutes of play.
Also helping lead the Lobos was junior captain Aaron Scott who posted two shots, both on goal, as well as redshirt-sophomore Billy Jones, also two-for-two.
The Matadors finally notched the only goal of the match in the 72nd minute when CSUN’s Samuel Dadzie found the back of the net off of a throw in by Jumoke Hutton. Hutton threw a long ball from the sideline, Dadzie took one dribble and scored from three yards, 1-0 CSUN.
Six minutes later, Puig fired on goal for his first shot of the night, but keeper Regitnig notched his seventh save of the evening to keep the Lobos down by one.
With five minutes left, Vial fired another kick from the corner, but UNM failed to convert the opportunity. Redshirt-junior Ford Parker tallied three saves between the posts while Regitnig posted eight.
The Lobos look to get their fiery offense back on track on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 8:30 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton.