ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Following a week on the road in which the Lobos recorded two draws, New Mexico returns home for a match against Grand Canyon on Thursday night at 7 p.m.
The match will be Women’s in Sports Night with free admission, but for those unable to attend, the match will be streamed on the Mountain West Network with live stats available.
While it is GCU’s first year in the Mountain West, the Lobos have faced the Lopes four times previously, most recently in 2022, and is 3-1-0 in the series. UNM is 1-1-0 at home with GCU winning the last meeting in Albuquerque 2-1 on Sept. 4, 2022. UNM has outscored GCU 6-2 in the series.
GCU enters the match 7-5-0 on the season and one point ahead of the Lobos in the conference standings with a 2-2-0 record. UNM is 5-2-4 and 1-0-2 in the conference.
IT’S A DRAW
The Lobos tied the last two matches, drawing 0-0 at Fresno State and 1-1 at San José State.
Alèjandra Puerto scored the opening goal of Thursday night’s match at San José State in the 53rd minute, with the Spartans answering in the 60th minute for the 1-1 draw. Sherry Diep and Nicole Anderson set up the goal 52:55 in with Diep finding Anderson on the far side of the field. Anderson turned and dribbled to the corner, gaining a step on her Spartan defender, turning the corner and crossing the ball into the box with a streaking Puerto getting her left foot on it and sending it bottom left corner for the goal.
It was the senior’s seventh goal of the season and the first career assist for Diep and the first assist of the season and the fourth career assist for Anderson.
The Lobos outshot the Spartans 35-4 in the match, with 13 shots in the first half and 22 in the second half, compared to one for the Spartans in the first and three in the second. Of the 35 shots, seven were on target with Alysa Whelchel taking eight shots and three on goal and Anderson taking 12 shots with two on goal.
Of note, it was the fifth consecutive draw with the Spartans, third consecutive time drawing 1-1 and fourth time in the five year span drawing 1-1. It was the second time in three matches tying 0-0 against the Bulldogs, which was also in Fresno.
Of the six matches played in the Mountain West on Thursday, four ended in a tie, and two matches tied on Sunday.
Six teams in the Mountain West are tied with five points with nine teams with at least two ties in conference matches.
HOME IS WHERE THE GOALS ARE
In the four home matches, UNM is outscoring opponents 18-5 and outshooting opponents 71-43 (17.8-10.8 average) with a 38-19 advantage in shots on goal. The Lobos are 3-0-1 at home this season.
Alèjandra Puerto leads UNM with five goals at home with Nicole Anderson at four goals and two players (Alysa Whelchel and Savanah Sanchez) each have scored three goals.
Of the 18 goals, 10 have been scored in the first half, outscoring opponents 10-3 in the first 45 minutes and 8-2 in the second half.
Additionally, the Lobos are outshooting opponents 41-19 in the second half.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
Heading into their 12th match of the season, the Lobos are on pace to surpass their production from last season.
The Lobos have scored 22 goals to date with 20 assists, with the Lobos scoring 23 goals with 17 assists last season. The Lobos are averaging 5.8 points per match with UNM averaging 3.5 last season.
In addition, the Lobos have taken more shots this season, averaging 16.0 per match compared to 14.4 last season and 7.0 shots on goal per match compared to 6.1 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: 64th in points per match (5.8), 61st in assists per match (1.8), 81st in goal differential (10), 62nd in scoring offense (2.0), 66th in shots on goal per match (7.0), 44th in shots per match (16), 90th in total goals (22), 97th in total points (64) and 95th in total assists (20).
On an individual level, Fiona Jenkins is 13th in total assists (7), while Savanah Sanchez and Gabby Beaudry are tied for 99th in GWG (2). Alèjandra Puerto is 41st in goals per match (0.64) and 51st in total goals (7) and Nicole Anderson is 16th in shots per match (4.1) and 69th in SOG per match (1.6).
UNM is first in the MW in points (64), goals (22), goals per match (2.0), shots per match (16), assists (20), and goal differential (10), as well as fourth in shots (176).
Puerto is second in the MW in goals and goals per match, and is tied for second in points (14). Celina Frenz and Allie Anderson are tied for fifth in assists (3) and N. Anderson is third in shots (41) and shots per match.
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 eight matches, Ashley Moody and Allie Anderson in seven, Fiona Jenkins in five matches, and Kennedy Brown has played 90’ in the last 10 matches this season.
Juran (935), Anderson (902) and Brown (961) have all played over 91% of the minutes, with Brown leading and playing in over 97% of the minutes.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Grand Canyon is 3-2 in its last five matches, with wins over Air Force (4-2) and San José State (1-0) and losses to Nevada (1-0), San Diego State (2-1) in conference play.
The Lopes have scored 15 goals on the season, led by Tatum Hofstetter’s four goals. Ellie Johannes leads with three assists and is tied with Hofstetter with nine points. Eight different players have scored a goal, three with multiple goals, with the Lopes taking 166 shots, 65 on goal. Of their 15 goals, seven have been scored in the first half.
GCU leads the MW in saves at 90, led by Emma Knack, who has started in all 12 matches and played in 1070 minutes. GCU has allowed 15 goals this season, 10 of which have occurred in the second half with opponents outshooting GCU 115-92. Opponents are outshooting GCU 206-166 and 105-65 in shots on goal.
Up next: following Thursday’s match, the Lobos return to the road to Reno to face Nevada on Sunday, with the next home match against Utah State on Oct. 16.