ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—The Mountain West schedule takes the Lobos on the road for their next two matches, starting with San José State on Thursday night at 7 p.m. PT/ 8 p.m. MT on the Mountain West Network. Live stats will also be available.
UNM enters the match 5-2-2, 1-0-0 in the MW, while the Spartans are 1-7-2, 0-0-2 in the MW following ties with UNLV (2-2) and Nevada (1-1). The last four matches between the Lobos and Spartans have ended in ties.
THE FIGHT OF THE LOBOS
UNM scored three goals in the second half, tying the match in the 58th minute and again in the 66th minute behind goals from Alèjandra Puerto before taking its only lead of the match in the 89th minute off of a header from Gabby Beaudry in the MW opener against Colorado College. UNM led for only the final 1:50 of Thursday’s match.
Allie Anderson tallied a career-high two assists in the match with Celina Frentz accounting for an assist on the first goal for her third of the season.
Trailing 1-0 at the half, UNM responded, led by a senior in Puerto and a freshman in Frentz, who happened to be in the right spot at the right time. A cross into the box from Puerto resulted in a deflected shot by Nicole Anderson in the 57th minute, which led to a corner kick and ultimately the first Lobo goal.
Alysa Whelchel took the corner, and while the initial pass to A. Anderson was unable to be brought in, Macie Harris was there to retain possession for the Lobos. Harris’ shot was blocked but ricocheted to Frenz, who kicked it ahead to an unmarked Puerto on the left side. Puerto turned, took a dribble and poked it bottom right and past the approaching Tiger keeper for the goal.
- Anderson struck the ball close to midfield near the Lobo bench side, floating it into the middle of the field just outside of the 18-yard box. While a Tiger got a piece of the ball, it fortuitously bounced right to Puerto, who found space amongst two CC defenders and shot it past the diving keeper for her second goal of the night and her sixth of the season. It was her second multi-goal match of the season.
The score held as UNM goalkeeper Alyson Campbell recorded consecutive saves in the 69th and 70th minutes and a shot by A. Anderson in the 79th minute was inches wide left of the top corner post.
A corner kick set up by a Frentz cross that was kicked out of play by the Tigers in the 88th minute provided the final goal. Frentz found an open A. Anderson outside the top right corner of the box, with the Lobo able to gather it and chip it to Beaudry, who headed it top right and into the net at 88:10 on the clock. For Anderson, it was her second assist of the night, third of the season, and for Beaudry, her third goal of the season and second game-winner.
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.
To date, UNM is: 40th in assists per match (2.0), 65th in goal differential (10), 35th in points per match (6.67), 28th in scoring offense (2.33), 37th in shots on goal per match (7.44), 67th in total goals (21), 77th in total points (60), 74th in shots per match (15.0), 69th in shot accuracy (.496) and 78th in total assists (18).
On an individual level, Fiona Jenkins is tied for second in assists per match (0.88) and 10th in total assists (7), while Savanah Sanchez and Gabby Beaudry are tied for 79th in GWG (2). Alèjandra Puerto is 33rd in goals per match (0.67) and 59th in total goals (6) and Nicole Anderson is 51st in shots per match (3.5) and 63rd in SOG per match (1.63).
UNM is first in the MW in points (60), goals (21), goals per match (2.33) and goal differential (10), as well as tied for first in assists (18) and first in assists per match (2.0).
Puerto is tied for first in the MW in goals, but leads in goals per match, and is fourth in points (12). Jenkins leads the conference in assists (7) and assists per match (0.88) with Celina Frenz and Allie Anderson tied for fifth (3).
DEFENDERS GO THE DISTANCE
The Lobo defense has been a display of stamina, with five defenders playing the full 90 minutes multiple times this season.
Allie Anderson and Morgan Juran have played 90’ in six matches, Ashley Moody and Fiona Jenkins have played 90’ in five matches, and Kennedy Brown has played 90’ in the last eight matches this season.
Juran (755), Anderson (740) and Brown (781) have all played over 90% of the minutes, with Brown leading and playing in over 96% of the minutes.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
The Spartans have scored eight goals this season, led by three from Paige Pineda Aliamus, and have seven assists, led by Charlotte Memoly with two.
SJSU shared two common nonconference opponents with the Lobos in UCSB and Cal State Fullerton, with the Spartans losing 1-0 to UCSB and 1-0 to Cal State Fullerton.