Whelchel's Late Goal Propels Lobos Past Falcons
USAFA, Colo.— A turnover by Air Force late in Thursday night’s Mountain West contest set up the game winner for New Mexico as Natalie DeGagne intercepted the pass from the Air Force keeper as the clock hit 87 minutes, and while her initial attempt to play the ball into the box was turned away by the Falcons, the ball eventually ended up at the feet of Alysa Whelchel, who shot the ball from the top of the box, with the ball hitting squarely off the Air Force keeper’s hands and rolled towards the left post and past the goal line for the go-ahead goal in the 2-1 win.
With the win, the Lobos not only picked up three pivotal points, but the Lobos extended their win streak against the Falcons to six matches and a 2-1 final for the third time in that span.
The Lobos were outshot 20-7 and led in the match the final 2:36, speaking to the play of Callie Droitsch, who tied her career high with six saves and the Lobo defense, who held the Falcons scoreless for the final 65:22 after Air Force took a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute.
Air Force’s offensive attack started early in the match with Droitsch making her first save 40 seconds in. For New Mexico, its first shot came at 24:21 from DeGagne that went wide right.
Droitsch thwarted another Falcon threat in the 11th minute as a player got free inside the right side of the box with the Lobo keeper using her body to block the shot. Air Force took four shots, three on goal in the first 11 minutes of action to force three Droitsch saves.
Air Force scored at 24:38 after a blocked shot got through to an Air Force player who went top left of the goal.
Precision passing by the Lobos set up the tying goal in the 38th minute as Fiona Jenkins found Margaux Clarke, who passed it to Presley Devey near midfield with Devey taking three dribbles before passing it ahead to DeGagne just outside the right side of the box, with the Lobo senior going bottom left past the Falcon keeper for the goal, her third of the season. Devey was credited with the assist, her third of the season, with the duo combining for a goal for the second time this season (Boise State the other time).
AF outshot UNM 8-3 in the first half and 4-2 in shots on goal with the match tied 1-1 at the break.
UNM’s first corner kick of the match came in the 49th minute, which resulted in Ashley Moody sending a ball from the far side of the field into the box, forcing the Falcon goalkeeper to knock the ball down with three Lobos crashing the box.
The Lobos had another good look in the 55th minute with Devey kicking the ball ahead with DeGagne tracking it down inside of the right side of the box, who found Logan Nicholson on the back post, but Nicholson’s shot was just wide. The Lobos continued to apply pressure in the 59th minute with Devey beating her defender to the left, crossing it in front of the goal, however there was no one on the other end. DeGagne tracked it down on the other side of the box, who chipped it wide left of the far post.
Alejandra Puerto almost broke the stalemate in the 79th minute, getting a header from Whelchel that fell at the feet of Puerto with her defender out of position. Puerto had an inside step on the last AF defender, but the junior shot bottom left with the Falcon keeper getting her hands on it to deflect it away.
The Lobo defense withstood a long sequence by the Falcons in the 83rd minute with Taryn Robles blocking a shot, followed by Robles heading out a long ball sent into the box and a final shot at 83:08 with Droitsch getting a hand on it with the ball going off the post. Droitsch made another save at 83:49 for the final shot taken by the Falcons.
A free kick at 86:50 set up the game-winning goal as Jenkins restarted it with a kick down the field with the Air Force keeper taking it off the bounce as Nicholson was open down the middle of the box. However, the Falcons’ miscue provided the Lobo opportunity, resulting in Whelchel’s second goal of the season and first game-winning goal.
UNM improves to 6-4-2 on the season, 2-3-0 in conference going into Sunday’s match at Colorado College.