Puerto’s Goal Against Oregon Gives Coach Dyche 100th Win at UNM

EUGENE, Ore.— Almost 10 years to the day she earned her first win as the head coach of The University of New Mexico soccer program, also a 1-0 win, Heather Dyche earned her 100^th win at UNM on Thursday night with a 1-0 win over Oregon.

The win marks the second win over Oregon in as many seasons and the fourth Power 5 win for Dyche, as well as the 29th win over a Power conference opponent in program history.

Alèjandra Puerto provided the lone goal of the match in the 68^th minute with Lobo keeper Jasmin Gonzalez-Rutt facing 13 shots, three of which were on goal, to record her second shutout of the season. As a team, UNM took 12 shots, six on goal, with six shots and three on goal in each half.

It took just 1:35 for UNM to take its first shot of the contest, with Savanah Sanchez going bottom center with the Duck keeper making the save. Gabby Beaudry provided the Lobos’ second shot midway into the sixth minute that was high, while Oregon’s first shot was also high at the 8:06 mark. Alysa Whelchel and Beaudry continued to create chances for the Lobos with Whelchel’s shot forcing an Oregon sliding save and Beaudry’s shot high. Celina Frenz’s shot in the 21^st minute was wide as UNM had a 5-1 advantage in shots through the first 21 minutes of play.

Two Oregon corner kicks in the 22^nd and 25^th minute amounted to two off-target shots, with UNM’s first (and only) corner kick of the match in the 34^th minute resulting in a shot on goal by Fiona Jenkins that was saved. Two more Oregon corner kicks led to a blocked shot and a team save, and its second shot on goal at 39:16 was saved by Gonzalez-Rutt as the draw held through the half. UNM had the 3-2 edge in shots on goal with Oregon the 7-6 edge in shots and 5-1 edge in corner kicks.

Each side tried to assert pressure early in the second half with two shots, with Beaudry and Nicole Anderson taking the first two shots after play resumed for the Lobos. A Sanchez shot was saved in the 60^th minute as was a shot by Frenz in the 67^th minute before the Lobos finally broke through.

The Lobos ended the stalemate on their 12^th shot of the night and with 67:53 on the clock as Puerto scored her third goal of the season, aided by Sanchez and Jenkins on the play. For Sanchez, it was her first collegiate assist, and for Jenkins the junior’s fifth assist this season.

Successive Duck shots were blocked and went wide right, respectively, with Gonzalez-Rutt preserving the 1-0 lead with a save in the 78^th minute. Oregon took one final shot in the 82^nd minute that went wide left as the Lobos ran out the clock to secure the win.

UNM (2-0-2) remains in Oregon to face Oregon State on Sunday at 1 p.m. MT.