GREELEY, Colo.— A span of 3:42 in the second half of Sunday’s match against Northern Colorado proved to be the difference as New Mexico emerged with a 4-2 road win.
Presley Devey led the Lobos with two goals, bookending the match with the first and last goals, while Savanah Sanchez registered her first goal of the season and Angelina Moschetti provided the game-winning goal for her first goal as a Lobo. For Devey, it was the second multiple-goal match of her career.
Devey opened the scoring at the 20:49 mark of the contest with UNC tying the match in the 40th minute for the tie at the break. The Bears immediately took the lead at the start of the second half before the Lobos responded with three unanswered goals for the final score.
UNM outshot UNC 22-9, 13-6 in shots on goal, with Devey taking a match-high eight shots in the match as well as the first shot of the match in the sixth minute that went wide right. Alyson Campbell made her first save at the 7:25 point of the contest and finished with four saves.
Devey had another good look early in the 15th minute off of a takeaway, dribbling to the middle of the box and shooting it again wide right. Macie Harris took UNM’s first shot on goal 18:35 in, shooting it high left and forcing a save by the Bear goalkeeper and a shot by Alysa Whelchel from the left side of the box in the 21st minute was blocked.
Devey put the Lobos on the board 23 seconds later as Gabby Beaudry found the Lobo forward up the field with Devey flicking it high right and into the net for her second goal of the season and Beaudry’s first collegiate assist.
Northern Colorado tied the match on a header off of a corner kick at the 39:16 mark, which was upheld following a challenge by UNM, with the score holding at the half.
The Lobos led 6-5 in shots in the first 45 minutes, with UNC holding a 3-2 edge in shots on goal.
UNC took the lead 1:06 into the second half, again set up by a corner kick. Campbell punched the entry into the box away, going to a Bear in the box who kicked it towards the goal, which was redirected bottom right into the net.
UNM had a couple of chances to respond as Celina Frenz had a shot saved 40 seconds later, Moschetti had her shot sail too high over the crossbar, and Devey’s shot in the 52nd minute was blocked.
The Lobos kept the pressure on with Devey having two chances in the 55th minute, with the Bear keeper making a kick save and the ball going back to Devey, who kicked it high over the net. A shot by Beaudry in the 58th minute went wide right and a shot by Devey in the 59th minute forced another UNC keeper save.
UNM looked to tie the match in the 62nd minute, but an offside call wiped off the goal. A shot low left by Frenz was kick saved by the UNC goalie with Nicole Anderson taking a shot on goal 10 seconds later that was saved. Less than a minute later, Anderson took her second shot on goal that was again saved.
The persistence paid off on a feed into the box by Moschetti trying to find Anderson, leading to the tying goal as the UNC goalkeeper came out but was unable to gather the ball. Sanchez was first to the loose ball and shot it solidly in the back of the net for her first goal of the season with 71:19 on the board.
Following a foul called against UNC, Moschetti took the free kick with the UNC goalie attempting to punch it away and instead punched it behind her and right into the goal 1:34 later.
Devey made it a brace and the third Lobo goal in 3:42 after Fiona Jenkins threw it into Sanchez, who kicked it out to an open Devey, who went to the far right post off her left foot for the goal.
Sanchez attempted to add to the lead with a shot low right in the 82nd minute that led to a save and Jenkins took a shot high right 20 seconds later that also required a UNC save.
Campbell made a final save with 1:45 left in the match with the Lobo keeper making a diving save to her left.
UNM outshot UNC 16-4 in the second half, 11-3 in shots on goal with Campbell making two saves.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 3-2-0 on the season ahead of their lone match of the week at New Mexico State on Saturday, Sept. 12.