Clarke's Goal and Assist Pushes Lobos Past Titans
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Margaux Clarke made the difference in Thursday night’s match against Cal State Fullerton, her third match in a Lobo uniform, tallying an assist and scoring what proved to be the winning goal as the Lobos defeated the Titans 2-1. Her three points on the night was a career high for the redshirt junior.
Thursday’s win also extended UNM’s unbeaten streak to 11 matches, tying the program’s second-longest record that was last done in 2011.
UNM put pressure on the CSF keeper early with the first shot on goal less than five minutes into the match on a shot by Natalie DeGagne at 4:39 followed by another shot by Brynn Boeyink that hit the top right post 10 seconds later. The Lobos ultimately forced four saves by the Titan goalkeeper in the first 16 minutes.
The Lobos broke through in the 27th minute after Skye McMillon slid the ball past the Cal State Fullerton goalkeeper following a 3-on-1 chance, as Clarke drew the Titan defender and tapped it to McMillon for the finish. It was McMillon’s second career goal at UNM, third overall.
CSF scored on its first shot on goal, a shot that deflected off of Alli Davis’ hands into the net at 41:12 with the score holding at the break.
UNM held a 12-6 advantage in shots and a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal in the first 45 minutes of play.
Davis recorded her first and only save of the night in the opening minute of the second half and less than two minutes later, the Lobos went ahead on their first shot attempt of the half.
Clarke broke the tie off of a corner kick that bounced around in the box before Myah Isais settled it and tapped it to Clarke, who shot it to the bottom left corner as three Titans were running towards her for her first goal as a Lobo.
Mercedes Morris had a chance in the 74th minute on a 1-on-1 with the keeper, but chipped the shot too far left, and a shot on target by Fiona Jenkins in the 77th minute and a shot by Presley Devey in the 90th minute were the final opportunities before the Lobos emerged with the victory.
Cal State Fullerton had just one shot on goal with the Lobos again outshooting the Titans 7-4 in the final 45 minutes of play.
The Lobos (1-0-2) have their first road match of the season next Thursday, Aug. 31 at San Diego before returning to UNM Soccer Complex on Thursday, Sept. 7 against Colorado.
POSTMATCH NOTES
-Thursday’s goal was the second goal of Margaux Clarke’s career and the first since 2021. The assist was the third of her career, giving her a career-high three points in the match.
-Kennedy Brown made her second-straight start and played the entire 90 minutes for the second-straight match.
-Myah Isais also played the full time, making it 44 matches in her career that she’s done so.
-Isais’ assist was the second of the senior’s career, with the other coming on Sept. 24, 2021 against Wyoming.
-UNM held the shot advantage at 19-10 and the SOG advantage at 9-2.
-Mercedes Morris led with a match-high four shots, three on goal, with Natalie DeGagne having three shots, two on goal. The four shots tied Morris’ career high.
-Thursday’s match against Cal State Fullerton was the first since Sept. 16 ,2011 and the win was UNM’s first win over Cal State Fullerton since Oct. 15, 1995.
-UNM is now 3-3-1 against CSF and 2-1-0 at home.
-Thursday produced the third different starting lineup of the season with Kennedy Brown and Fiona Jenkins making their second-straight start.