RENO, Nev.— Following a 4-1 victory over Grand Canyon on Thursday night, the Lobos travel to Reno to face Nevada on Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. PT/ 1 p.m. MT on the Mountain West Network.
UNM enters the match 6-2-4, 2-0-2 in the Mountain West with wins over Colorado College and Grand Canyon and ties with San José State and Fresno State. For Nevada, the Wolf Pack are 2-8-2 on the season, 1-2-1 in conference with a 3-0 loss to Fresno State, a 1-1 draw with San José State, a 1-0 win over Grand Canyon and a 3-0 loss at Wyoming.
Historically, UNM is 12-1-2 against Nevada and 5-1-1 in Reno. UNM has won the last three meetings by a score of 10-2 with a 1-1 tie in 2021 breaking up a nine-match win streak spanning from 2012 to 2019. Overall, UNM has outscored Nevada 29-9 in the series.
LOBOS OVER LOPES
The Lobos defeated Grand Canyon on Thursday night, scoring three goals in the the first half and adding a goal in the second half for the 4-1 victory.
UNM had four different goal scorers with three players finishing with three points in Alysa Whelchel, Mercedes Morris and Nicole Anderson. Morris assisted in Kennedy Brown’s opening goal, Anderson assisted on Whelchel’s goal and Whelchel assisted on Morris’ goal. It was a career high in points for Morris, while tying Whelchel’s career high in points, which she did earlier this season against Colorado School of Mines.
Morgan Juran assisted on Anderson’s goal for her first assist of the season.
It was the second goal of the season for Brown, the fourth for Whelchel, the fifth for Anderson and the first for Morris.
UNM outshot GCU 19-15 and 13-7 in shots on goal with Alyson Campbell making five saves and the team credited with a save.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
Heading into their 13th match of the season, the Lobos have surpassed their production from last season.
The Lobos have scored 26 goals to date with 24 assists, with the Lobos scoring 23 goals with 17 assists last season. The Lobos are averaging 6.3 points per match with UNM averaging 3.5 last season.
In addition, the Lobos have taken more shots this season, averaging 16.3 per match compared to 14.4 last season and 7.5 shots on goal per match compared to 6.1 last season.
UNM has had eight different goal scorers this season, six with multiple goals with Alysa Whelchel (4), Nicole Anderson (5) and Alejandra Puerto (7) surpassing their goal production last season.
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: tied for 38th in scoring offense (2.2), tied for 40th in assists per match (2.0), 36th in points per match (6.33), tied for 42nd in shots per match (16.3) and tied for 35th in shots on goal per match (7.5). In addition, they are tied for 53rd in goal differential (13), tied for 55th in total assists (24), tied for 58th in total goals (26) and tied for 62nd in total points (76).
On an individual level, Nicole Anderson is 15th in shots per match (4.1) and 42nd in shots on goal per match (1.7), while Alejandra Puerto is 58th in goals per match (0.6) and 57th in total goals (7).
UNM is first in the MW in points (76), goals (26), goals per match (2.17), shots per match (16.3), assists (24), and goal differential (13), as well as third in shots (195).
Puerto is second in the MW in goals and goals per match, and is tied for third in points (14). Celina Frenz, Mercedes Morris and Allie Anderson are tied for sixth in assists (3) and N. Anderson is third in shots (45), as well as tied for fourth in goals (5). Alysa Whelchel tied for eighth in goals (4).
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.
Morgan Juran has played 90’ in nine matches, Ashley Moody in eight matches, Allie Anderson in seven, Fiona Jenkins in five matches, and Kennedy Brown has played 90’ in 10 matches this season.
Juran (1025), Anderson (982) and Brown (1050) have all played in 91% of the minutes, with Brown leading and playing in over 97% of the minutes.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Nevada’s two wins on the season have come against Northern Arizona (2-1) and Grand Canyon and has been outscored 24-8 in its 12 matches. Of the 24 goals scored against them, 15 have been in the first half, while of the eight goals scored by Nevada, all have been in the second half.
Naima Castro leads the Wolf Pack with three goals and six points with Maddie Benson and Abigail Souza tied for the team lead in assists with two. Nevada has seven assists on its eight goals with five different goal scorers and five different players credited with an assist. The Wolf Pack have taken the fewest amount of shots in the MW at 117, an average of 9.8 per match. Opponents are outshooting them 191-117, 96-47 in the first half, 95-70 in the second half.
Mia Collins has started all 12 matches in net and made 77 saves, an average of 6.4 per match, and the second-most in the conference in both categories.
Nevada has scored two goals in its four conference matches, and has been outscored 7-2. Rylee Husted and Jasmine Navarro have accounted for the two goals, while Souza, Olivia Loomis and Charlotte Bonney have accounted for the assists on the goals.
Collins has made 27 saves, an average of 6.8 per match, against MW opponents, while facing 63 shots (15.8 per match) and 34 shots on goal (8.5 per match).