Lobos Host Adams State in Final Home Exhibition

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s a rare thing to have an exhibition match sandwiched between actual games that count, but that’s what UNM has, and that’s what UNM will use to get better.  The Lobos host Adams State on Thursday night at 7:30 pm at the UNM Soccer Complex.  Admission is free, but UNM is teaming up with the Albuquerque Roadrunner Food Bank for a food drive.  Fans are asked to bring donations to drop off at the front gate.

The exhibition is the second one that UNM has had free admission but hosted a drive to benefit the citizens of Albuquerque. At UNM’s opening exhibition match, fans donated hundreds of dollars in school supplies that directly benefited Albuquerque Public Schools.  For Thursday, fans can bring canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats and fish, canned beans and soup, peanut butter, jarred items, cereal, pasta, rice and boxed meals.  All food will go directly to the Roadrunner Food Bank.

UNM is coming off a 5-1 win over Dixie State in which all five goals were scored by underclassmen, including two from freshman Zaria Katesigwa, both of those in the first half.  The Lobos showed tremendous improvement from game one (a 1-0 loss to UC Davis) to game two.  Now, with a pair of home matches looming against Pac-12 teams on successive Sundays (Oregon State on 8/29 at 1 pm and Washington on 9/5 at noon), UNM has the beneficial change to work on a few things against someone else prior to the match.

Adams State is playing in its only exhibition match, although they did host Otero Junior College and Western Colorado in scrimmages earlier in the fall.  The Grizzlies went 2-5 in an abbreviated 2020-21 season, including 1-0 and 4-1 losses to Ft. Lewis, UNM’s opening exhibition opponent.