Jenkins Scores First Career Goal as Lobos Draw with Spartans
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— A free kick led to a pivotal goal as Fiona Jenkins’ shot on the restart sailed towards the goal and found the back of the net in the 74th minute in New Mexico’s draw with San José State 1-1 on Sunday to pick up a point in the conference standings.
With three matches left on the conference schedule, the Lobos are 7-4-4 on the season, 3-3-2 in the MW with 11 points, currently sixth in the standings.
It is the fourth consecutive match in which the Lobos have tied with the Spartans, the third of which ended 1-1.
The Lobos took a total of 23 shots in the match with eight shots on goal, most of which occurred in the second half after the Spartans led 1-0 at the break after scoring in the 29th minute.
SJSU took the first shot of the contest a minute in, forcing Callie Droitsch to make her first save of the game, with UNM taking its first shot at 14:07 by Nicole Anderson which went wide. Sophia Roberts took the first shot on goal in the 16th minute to force the SJSU keeper to make the save with the next shot by either team breaking the stalemate.
San José State scored in the 29th minute after a Lobo throw in deep in UNM territory was headed and then settled by the Spartans, which resulted in a shot low right from the corner of the box, trickling past Droitsch and into the goal.
San José State’s lead held through the half with the Spartans taking six shots to UNM’s three with a 2-1 advantage in shots on goal.
Presley Devey had a good look in the 49th minute just outside the top of the box that the SJSU keeper got a hand on to swat it away and again in the 52nd minute that was high. UNM continued to apply pressure with shots by Jenkins (63:22) and Devey (64:05) requiring saves from the Spartan goalie and a shot by Natalie DeGagne (66:37) that was high and by Taryn Robles (67:37) that was wide right.
A foul by SJSU at the 73:36 mark on Jenkins set up the tying goal for Jenkins, her first career goal which came a match after she recorded her first career point on an assist.
With the game tied, the Lobos continued to push for the go-ahead goal with Roberts’ shot on goal at 77:51, Logan Nicholson’s shot at 77:57 blocked and Mercedes Morris’ shot on goal at 79:32. Anderson took one final shot on goal for the Lobos in the final minute that the SJSU keeper saved to set up a corner kick, but a Lobo foul thwarted the chance as the final seconds ticked down for the draw.
UNM took 20 shots in the final 45 minutes with seven on goal, with two overall shots on goal from Jenkins, Roberts and Devey in the match. Droitsch made five saves in the contest, the third time this season that she’s made five saves and the fifth time she’s made at least five saves.
The Lobos return to the road for their next two matches, set to face Colorado State and Wyoming.