Lobos Earn Mountain West Regular Season Title, Edwards Scores Golden Goal
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M — Just as quickly as the regular season started for the University of New Mexico women’s soccer team, it came to an end, but not before the Lobos claimed the Mountain West Regular Season Championship, advancing New Mexico to the NCAA Tournament in North Carolina. The Lobos (10-1-0, MW 10-1-0) defeated the San Diego State Aztecs (8-3-0, 8-3-0) 3-2 in overtime at the UNM Soccer Complex for the Title, with junior Jadyn Edwards scoring the golden goal in the 96th minute. Edwards was a star for the team, scoring two of the Lobos’ three goals on the night.
“I just felt like if we brought the energy during overtime, we could shift the balance … everyone was relentless tonight, and I feel like we ran them down a little bit,” said head coach Heather Dyche. “I have never been a part of a game like this. There are no words.”
It was SDSU who got on the board first, but redshirt-junior Cami Floth scored the first UNM goal in the 21st minute off a pass by junior Alesia Garcia. Garcia started with the ball at the top of the box and dribbled her way in before passing the ball to the right of the goal. The ball then bounced off the Aztec goalie and was put in perfect position for Floth to take a shot, and she capitalized on the opportunity, tying the game for the Lobos.
Garcia then kept the offense flowing in the first half, as she maintained possession of the ball on the right side while dribbling down the field, juking out two Aztec defenders along the way. The junior then split another defender to pass the ball in the box, making it to Edwards, who was ready. Edwards immediately took a shot, finding the back left side of the net, earning a 2-1 lead for the Lobos in the first half.
The game was very aggressive between the two teams, and it showed in the second half. In the 65th minute, Edwards suffered an injury that looked as if it might take her out for the remainder of the match, but instead, she came back on the pitch in the 79th minute. This comeback proved to be necessary for the Lobos as the Aztecs forced the match to overtime, scoring a goal in the final six seconds of regulation.
“To get a goal with six seconds left is gut-wrenching; there’s not really another word for it. When the players came off the field, you could see an emotional reaction, and I said that we could use that reaction in our favor. We had been tested, and now it was our time to rise,” said Dyche.
With the Mountain West title on the line, UNM came out hot in search of the golden goal. A cross from sophomore Maysa Walters was deflected off the SDSU goalie, making another perfect scoring opportunity for Edwards. The junior capitalized on the moment, took her shot, launched the ball to the top left corner of the net, scored the golden goal, and clinched the Mountain West Regular Season Title for the Lobos.
The Lobos battled through the entirety of the match, and it paid off, as the team outshot the Aztecs 14-to-11, posting eight shots on goal.
The team will now advance to the NCAA Tournament in North Carolina, the first appearance for the Lobos in the tournament since 2011. A selection show will take place on Monday, April 20, as the Lobos will find out who they will face first.
To keep up with all things Lobo Soccer, follow @UNMLoboWSoccer on Twitter!
Post-game interview: Heather Dyche
Post-game interview: Jadyn Edwards
