Early Goal by Devey Leads to 3-0 Win Over Fresno State
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— An early goal by Presley Devey proved to be all the Lobos needed on Thursday night against Fresno State, with New Mexico adding two goals in the second half for the 3-0 win. Callie Droitsch needed to make two saves to earn her sixth shutout of the season as the Lobos picked up three conference points and improved to 7-4-3, 3-3-1 in conference.
Devey tallied her seventh goal of the season and her fourth game-winning goal of the season with a goal 4:21 into the match, while Alysa Whelchel added a goal 51:00 in and Margaux Clarke provided the final goal of the match at the 69:35 mark with Fiona Jenkins assisting on Devey’s goal and Ellie Robinson assisting on Clarke’s goal.
The Lobos played with the early lead after Devey scored a goal in the fifth minute, her seventh goal of the season. A free kick following a Fresno State foul had Taryn Robles kick the ball to an open Jenkins on the left side of the field, who gathered it and chipped it ahead to Devey posting up just outside the six-yard box, who turned to her right and sent the ball off her left foot to the bottom right for the go-ahead goal. It was Jenkins’ first assist of the season and her first career point.
UNM had a chance to make it 2-0 on a header by Devey off of a corner kick by Natalie DeGagne which went wide right in the 31st minute.
The score held into the break with UNM leading 5-3 in shots with one shot on goal for each team.
Whelchel wasted no time in the second half to make it 2-0, collecting a loose ball in the box and going low right for her third goal of the season. Robles again was the catalyst for the goal, with the Lobo kicking the ball into the box, where it was headed by Clarke, and after a couple of deflections was settled by Whelchel, who put it in the back of the net.
Robles ensured it stayed 2-0 in the 65th minute, keeping the ball out of the net after Droitsch got pulled out of the goal and a Fresno State shot was on target on an empty net, with Robles kicking it out of danger before it crossed the line.
A Bulldog turnover set up the third goal as Kennedy Brown created the turnover with Robinson possessing the ball, turning and finding space to dribble before finding Clarke open in the box, who collected the ball and fired off her left foot to the bottom left for her first goal of the season and Robinson’s second assist of the season.
From there, Droitsch made one final save in the 76th minute and Devey took one final shot on goal at 79:16 that was saved by the Bulldog keeper before the final whistle blew. The Lobos finished with a 9-5 edge in shots, 4-3 in shots on goal with the first three shots on goal for the Lobos resulting in goals.
The Lobos close the week against San José State on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. MT on the Mountain West Network.