Lobos Head to Arizona for a Pair with NAU, GCU
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico got a win from an unlikely place on Sunday, being down with under 10 minutes to go to a Pac-12 team in Washington. Now, after a 2-1 win over the Huskies, the Lobos need to bring that same intensity on the road as the team heads to Phoenix for a Thursday night match against Northern Arizona at 6:30 pm Mountain Time and a Saturday night match against Grand Canyon at 9 pm Mountain Time, both matches part of a classic at GCU Soccer Stadium.
Along with the intensity, UNM might want some sunscreen and some Gatorade. The expected temperature at kickoff on Thursday is 106 degrees, while on Saturday it will only be 102 degrees. The good thing is UNM has played four matches, and all have been in the day, with the Washington match in 90+ degree temperatures. “The good thing is we are kind of used to (the heat), having played all day games,” said Dyche, whose squad is 2-2. “You just have to play and its the same for both teams.”
Returning 22 letterwinners, UNM already has as many losses (2) as all of last year, although there was no non-conference season in 2020. Still, Dyche feels that perhaps UNM thought replacing just three players and returning 22 would be too simple a task. “I think we all thought it would be easy, even myself, but we have to really work hard because this is a new team, even with all the familiar faces.” One of those familiar faces is Emily Johnson, who was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week. Johnson is expected to be in goal, but as Dyche points out, it really could be any of UNM’s three keepers. “You know Emily would agree with this but on some days she is only our third-best keeper. We have such a good competition for that slot with Malia being a veteran and Alli being new but extremely talented. I feel we have a real strength with whomever is in net for us.”
The Lobos’ two opponents are having very dissimilar seasons, with NAU 0-5-0 and Grand Canyon 5-1-0. NAU is in the Big Sky and Grand Canyon the WAC.