BOISE, Idaho— As the calendar turns to November, New Mexico’s attention turns to Boise and the postseason. The Lobos are one of six teams contending for the Mountain West Championship starting on Sunday, and will face three-seed Utah State in the 3-6 matchup at 4 p.m. MT. The match will be streamed on the Mountain West Network with live stats available.
Both teams are coming off a loss in their Thursday matches, with Utah State losing 3-0 to Boise State and UNM falling 2-1 at San Diego State.
The meeting between the two teams this season ended in a scoreless draw in Albuquerque.
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
UNM is 17-14-7 all-time in the Mountain West Championship, last making an appearance in 2022.
This is the fourth time UNM enters as the six-seed, with the last time in 2004. UNM defeated three-seed Wyoming 2-1 in overtime in 2003 as the six-seed, losing the other two times in the first round (2-0 to San Diego State in 2003 and 4-2 to Utah in 1999).
UNM has played Utah State twice in the tournament, both times going to two overtimes. The last time, in 2021, UNM won 2-1 in two overtimes. The Lobos won the tournament that year as the 1-seed, also defeating Boise State 2-1 in overtime. UNM played USU in 2013, a 0-0 tie with the Aggies advancing 4-2 on PK following two overtimes.
The Lobos won the tournament in 2021 and in 2011, with the 2021 title in Boise.
ALL YOU NEED IS ONE
The Lobos picked up a point at UNLV on Sunday, which is all they needed to clinch a spot in the Mountain West Championship.
All UNM needed was one goal on Thursday night to secure three points with Alejandra Puerto’s goal in the fourth minute holding as the game-winner.
UNM is 4-2-0 on the season in one-goal matches, 2-2-0 against MW opponents.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
The Lobos have surpassed their production from last season, surpassing the 2024 goal total in the win against Grand Canyon on Oct. 9.
The Lobos have scored 34 goals to date with 30 assists, with the Lobos scoring 23 goals with 17 assists last season. The Lobos are averaging 5.44 points per match with UNM averaging 3.5 last season.
In addition, the Lobos have taken more shots on goal this season with 6.39 shots on goal per match compared to 6.1 last season.
UNM has had nine different goal scorers this season, seven with multiple goals with Alysa Whelchel (6), Nicole Anderson (8) and Alejandra Puerto (8) surpassing their goal production last season.
Anderson has doubled her point production from a season ago with eight goals and three assists (19 points), Allie Anderson recorded her first collegiate assists this season (3), Kennedy Brown scored her first collegiate goals this season (2), Mercedes Morris has a career-best nine points this season behind two goals and a career-best five assists, Puerto is having her best season as a Lobo with 16 points (8 goals) and Whelchel has surpassed her goal (6) and point total (15) from 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 64th in scoring offense (1.9) and tied for 68th in goal differential (14). In addition, UNM is tied for 76th in assists per match (1.7), tied for 93rd in shots per match (14.2) and tied for 70th in points per match (5.4).
On an individual level, Nicole Anderson and Alejandra Puerto are tied for 90th in goals (8), with Anderson 34th in shots per match (3.7) and 64th in shots on goal per match (1.6). Fiona Jenkins is 30th in assists (8) and 11th in assists per match (0.6). In net, Alyson Campbell is 38th in save percentage (.838) and 64th in saves per match (4.8).
UNM is second in the MW in points (98) and goals (34), but leads in goals per match (1.9), and is second in goal differential (14), assists (30) and tied for second in shutouts (7).
Puerto and Anderson are tied for fourth in the MW in goals (8) with Alysa Whelchel tied for seventh (6). Mercedes Morris is tied for fourth in assists (5).
DEFENDERS GO THE DISTANCE
The Lobo defense has been a display of stamina, with six defenders playing the full 90 minutes multiple times this season. Ashley Moody and Morgan Juran have played played 90 minutes in 13 matches and Macie Harris in five. In addition, Allie Anderson and Fiona Jenkins in eight matches, and Kennedy Brown has played 90 in 15 matches this season. Juran (1468) and Brown (1570) have played in 90% of the minutes, with Brown playing in over 96% of the minutes.
In conference, Moody has played all but one minute of conference play, playing 89 minutes in the last match at San Diego State.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
After the Aggies faced the Lobos on Oct. 16, they defeated San Diego State (2-0), Nevada (6-1) and San José State (7-1) before losing to Boise State (3-0), finishing third in the conference at 5-2-3.
USU has outscored its opponents 27-9 in conference behind 12 goals in the first half and 15 in the second half, and has outshot MW opponents 164-68 (78-27 in shots on goal). The Aggies have two leading scorers in Kaylie Chambers and Tess Werts with five goals apiece in conference, with Rine Yonaha leading with four assists.
Taylor Rath has started nine matches in net, playing 690 minutes and allowing seven goals with 12 saves. Allee Grashoff has started one match and played in four, allowing two goals with six saves. Rath has recorded two shutouts in MW play with Rath and Grashoff combining for two.