Lobo Soccer Season Comes to an End with Loss to Aztecs
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— New Mexico’s season came to an end on Thursday night with a 4-1 loss to San Diego State.
Needing to win to continue its season at the Mountain West Tournament, UNM fell behind early as SDSU scored two goals in the first 25 minutes with the Lobos trailing 3-0 at the break.
In a fitting tribute on Senior Night, it was two Lobos playing their final collegiate match that put UNM on the board as Logan Nicholson recorded her first assist as a Lobo on an Ellie Robinson goal in the 51st minute. While the Lobos had chances to make it a one-goal deficit, SDSU added a fourth goal late in the match for the final score.
Additionally, it was two more seniors in Natalie DeGagne and Nicholson who led the Lobos in shots on the night with four and five, respectively, with three shots on goals for each. UNM took 19 shots in the match with 11 on goal, the second-most shots on goal this season behind the 12 taken against Nevada on Sept. 29.
San Diego State was on the attack early, taking its first shot on goal in the fourth minute and taking three more shots that went wide of the goal before scoring at 13:39 to put the Lobos behind early.
A feed into the box by Fiona Jenkins found Alysa Whelchel in the 19th minute, who kicked it bottom left with the SDSU keeper able to just get a hand on it to push it out of play for UNM’s first shot of the contest. The Lobos continued to work for the tying goal with Sophia Roberts finding fellow senior DeGagne at the top of the 18-yard box in the 23rd minute, with DeGagne shooting on target but brought in by the Aztec goalie.
SDSU added a second goal at the 24:02 mark and the Lobos had two looks in the 31st minute with Presley Devey’s shot blocked and DeGagne’s shot blocked seven seconds later to set up a corner kick. The corner kick, taken by DeGagne, was placed right in front of the six-yard box, with the Lobos unable to get a foot on the other end before it was cleared out of play by the Aztecs for a throw in to thwart the opportunity.
A Lobo foul set up a free kick for the Aztecs in the 40th minute that led to a third goal, with the Lobos attempting to respond with DeGagne sending it into the box in the 40th minute with the SDSU keeper deflecting it away and again with Nicholson trying to connect with Zaria Katesigwa, with Nicholson crossing it into the box but just past the diving head of Katesigwa in the 42nd minute and out of play. Nicholson sprung free as the clock ticked past 44 minutes, with the shot going to the top right and the keeper making a diving save to push it out of play for the final shot of the half and the 3-0 halftime score.
SDSU held a 12-7 lead in shots in the first half with each team registering four shots on goal.
DeGagne took the first shot for the Lobos in the second half with a shot on target at 49:59, but was right at the SDSU keeper for the save.
The Lobos got on the board in the 51st minute as Nicholson sent a booming ball into the box, landing with Robinson, who settled, and shot bottom right for the goal, her second of the season. It was Nicholson’s first assist of the season and as a Lobo. Nicholson tried to add another goal in the 63rd minute with a shot from just inside the right side of the box that sailed wide right of the net.
The Lobos continued to try to chip away at the deficit with DeGagne having a chance in the 67th minute after Devey chipped it ahead with DeGagne getting a step on her Aztec defender, but her shot to the left was stopped by the keeper. Nicholson came inches away from making it 3-2 at 71:02 mark with her shot hitting off the crossbar, had another look at 78:23 and again at 81:16 that were saved.
SDSU added a final goal at 83:25 with UNM’s final opportunity occurring in the 87th minute off a corner kick in which Devey’s header was headed by an Aztec defender before it could cross the goal line for the team save, but went to Roberts, who’s header hit off the top post.
UNM took 12 shots in the second half with seven on goal to force SDSU’s keeper to make six saves in the half, 10 saves in the match.
The Lobos conclude the season at 7-6-5, 3-5-3 in the Mountain West and graduate 13 Lobos.