Lobos Begin Week on Road at Oregon
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos begin a week on the road in The Beaver State, starting at Oregon on Thursday night. The match is set for 6:30 p.m. PT/ 7:30 p.m. MT and will be streamed on Big Ten Network + with live stats available.
UNM is 1-0-2 entering the match with Oregon 2-1-1.
LOBOS VS. DUCKS: PART 2
Thursday’s match will be the second meeting between the two programs, with the Lobos winning 3-1 in Albuquerque on Aug. 25, 2024.
Alysa Whelchel recorded her first career goal to open the scoring 5:48 into the match, followed by Presley Devey scoring UNM’s second goal going to the bottom right off her left foot at 9:12.
The Ducks cut the lead in half with a goal at 11:31 on their first shot of the match, but the Lobos went back on the attack with Sophia Roberts hitting the post 16 minutes in.
Oregon had two chances in the 33rd and 34th minutes, but the shots went wide left and was kicked right at Callie Droitsch, respectively, with the Lobo keeper easily making the save as the score held 2-1 in favor of UNM at the break.
The Lobos blitzed the Ducks’ defense in the first 45 minutes, outshooting Oregon 11-4 and 7-2 in shots on goal, forcing the keeper to make five saves versus one for Droitsch.
In the 56th minute, UNM was able to get the ball deep in Oregon territory, and while a cross by Sophia Roberts failed to find the foot of a Lobo, two Oregon players deflected the ball right to Nicole Anderson, who buried it for the 3-1 lead and her second career goal.
UNM outshot Oregon 19-8 with a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal.
With the win, the Lobos earned their third win over a Power conference opponent under Coach Heather Dyche and the second over an (at the time) Big Ten team in program history. Additionally, it is the 28th win over a Power conference opponent in program history, with the previous last win against a Power conference opponent being Washington in 2021.
WHERE THEY STAND
As a team and individually, the Lobos rank amongst the best in the Mountain West and the NCAA in several statistical categories.
Through the first three matches, UNM is eighth in the NCAA in scoring offense (4.0), 12th in shots on goal per game (10.33), 15th in points per game (10.67), 16th in total goals (12), 21st in shots per game (20.33), 22nd in total points (32), 23rd in goal differential (8) and 34th in assists per game (2.67).
On the individual level, Fiona Jenkins is second in assists per game (1.33) and total assists. Nicole Anderson is sixth in goals per game (1.33), 13th in total goals (4), 16th in points per game (2.67), 22nd in shots per game (4.67), 23rd in shots on goal per game (2.67) and 24th in total points (8). Celina Frenz is 47th in total assists (2) and 66th in assists per game (0.67).
UNM is first in the MW in points, goals, goals per game, assists and assists per game, as well as second in shots but first in shots per game.
Anderson leads the MW in shots, shots per game and goals per game, and is tied for the lead in goals, points and points per game. Jenkins leads the conference in assists and assists per game with Frenz tied for second in assists and assists per game.
99 WINS ON THE WALL
Following the season-opening win over Texas Southern, Head Coach Heather Dyche is nearing a milestone as she earned her 99th win at UNM. The New Mexico native’s first win came on Aug. 26, 2015 vs. New Mexico State and her 50th win Oct. 4, 2019 vs. Nevada.
She would be just the second coach at UNM to reach 100 wins, joining Kit Vela, who finished with 122 wins after coaching the Lobos from 2001-14.
STEPPING UP
In the season opener, UNM had five different goal scorers with Nicole Anderson recording a hat trick, Alèjandra Puerto recording a brace, Savanah Sanchez and Gabby Beaudry scoring their first collegiate goals and Alysa Whelchel scoring one.
With Ayla Dils’ goal at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Kennedy Brown scoring against the Colorado School of Mines, the Lobos have had seven different goal scorers this season.
Through the first three matches, Anderson has already matched her season best in goals at four and Jenkins has already surpassed her season assist total from last season with four.
UNM’s eight goals in the season opener accounted for 34.8% of the total goals scored last season, with UNM recording its eighth goal six matches into last season, which came against UTEP on Sept. 8.
In net, Jasmin Gonzalez-Rutt recorded her first collegiate shutout, facing two shots on goal with TSU taking just five shots in the match.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Oregon is 2-1-1 on the season, coming off of a 3-0 win over Hawai’i. The Ducks started the season with a scoreless draw with Portland and lost 1-0 to Sacramento State.
Through three matches, Oregon has scored seven goals, led by two from Taylor Bryan, the only Duck with multiple goals. As a team, UO has taken 60 shots (15.0 per game), 31 of which were on goal (7.75 per game). Comparatively, their opponents have taken 15 shots on goal and 36 shots overall, scoring one goal.
In net, Caeley Goldstein has started all four matches and allowed just one goal with 14 saves and two shutouts.
Seven Ducks have started all four matches (Lauren Kenny, Goldstein, Elise Picard, Jasmine Young, Carly Cormack, Sydney Chura and Bryan).
Oregon was picked to finish 16th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll.