Lobos Host Thundering Herd Saturday
Lobo Soccer- at UNM Soccer Complex (6,200)
When: Saturday at 7 p.m. (MT)
Who: Marshall Thundering Herd
GoLobos.com: Live stats, live stream, box score, postgame recap and stats
Video: The game will be broadcast live at GoLobos.com via the Mountain West Network
Weather Forecast: 62 degrees and clear, wind out of the south at 16 MPH
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The 15th-ranked University of New Mexico men's soccer team must rebound from a disappointing result Wednesday night when it hosts Marshall Saturday evening at the UNM Soccer Complex.
With just two matches remaining in the regular season, every game is vital as the Lobos look to position themselves for both the C-USA Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. The Lobos have lost two of their last three games, but remain virtually unbeatable at home, posting a 7-1-1 record there this season, which includes five straight wins. Overall, they've gone 13-1-2 over their last 16 home matches dating back to last season, with the lone loss coming to No. 1 UCLA on Sept. 7.
That probably does not bode well for a Thundering Herd squad that is winless in its last three matches, being outscored 8-2 in the process. They did, however, earn a scoreless draw with No. 7 Charlotte on Oct. 21. Scoring has been an issue for them this season, as they have just 10 goals in 15 games.
UNM is having no such issues scoring lately, as they have 18 goals over just their last seven games, good for a 2.57 scoring average. Although the Lobos' typically stout defense allowed three goals in its game at UAB Wednesday, it was the first time all season they had allowed more than two in a match all season, and just the third time they'd conceded more than one.
Still, the Herd won't be a pushover as they have played fairly well on the road this season, posting a 3-3-0 record away from home with wins at South Carolina, Evansville and Northern Kentucky. Sophomore midfielder Daniel Jodah leads the team with four goals and junior Jack Hopkins has three, but the rest of the 22 outfield players that have seen time this season have combined for just three. Defensively they’re allowing 1.64 goals per game, which is 158th in the NCAA. Two keepers have split time in net, but freshman Domink Reining has played better with a 1.41 GAA and a 7.50 save percentage. He is 3-3-2 on the season, but has missed the last three matches with Marshall going 0-2-1 in the process.
Series Record: 2-0-0
Home: 0-0-0; Away: 1-0-0; Neutral: 1-0-0
Last meeting: The Lobos defeated the Thundering Herd in Huntinginton, W.V., 3-1 last season. This will be their first ever meeting in Albuquerque.
Up Next: UNM plays its final match of the regular season on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. vs. South Carolina.
SCOUTING MARSHALL ... The Thundering Herd are winless in their last three matches, getting outscored 8-2 in the process. They did, however, manage to slow down the potent Charlotte attack in a 0-0 draw on Oct. 21. Scoring has been an issue for them, though, as they have just 10 goals in 15 matches. Sophomore midfielder Daniel Jodah leads the team with four goals and junior Jack Hopkins has three, but the rest of the 22 outfield players that have seen time this season have combined for just three. Defensively they’re allowing 1.64 goals per game, which is 158th in the NCAA. Two keepers have split time in net, but freshman Domink Reining has played better with a 1.41 GAA and a 7.50 save percentage. He is 3-3-2 on the season, but has missed the last three matches.
FOUR EARN ACADEMIC HONOR ... Josh Dye, Niko Hansen, Nick Miele and Chris Wehan were all named to CoSIDA’s Academic All-District Team on Thursday, Oct. 30. It’s the most for the program since 2007 when current assistant coach Mike Graczyk was one of five to be named Academic All-District.
ON A ROLL ... Chris Wehan has scored in three of the last four games and has four goals on just eight shots. He has not gone longer than two straight games without a goal this season.
WEHAN NAMED TO TEAM OF WEEK ... Chris Wehan was named to College Soccer News’ National Team of the Week following his two-goal performance against Old Dominion on Saturday, Oct. 25.
McKENDRY AMONG THE BEST ... Soccer website TopDrawerSoccer.com released its midseason rankings of the top 100 players in the nation on Oct. 21, and junior midfielder Ben McKendry was ranked seventh in the nation and tops among all C-USA players. Senior defender Nick Miele was also ranked, coming in at No. 95. For the freshmen rankings, keeper Jason Bealieu was at No. 52.
GIBBONS ENTERS TOP 10 ... Senior Mathew Gibbons is now sixth all-time at UNM in career starts with 77. Also, his 6,886 minutes played put him in sixth place in program history.
ROGERS CLIMBING ... James Rogers’ goal at Florida Atlantic on Oct. 8 was the 21st of his career, moving him into sole possession of ninth all-time in UNM history. Meanwhile, his 169 shots are sixth most, his 61 points are ninth most and he’s tied for sixth with 19 assists.
BEAULIEU MOVING UP ... Jason Beaulieu continues to make moves in the UNM history book. He is now tied for the most shutouts by a freshman keeper at UNM with five, and his five wins are tied for second. He is tied with Andrew Weber (2001) in shutouts, and trails only Weber in wins while being tied with Nate Busek (1990). Meanwhile, his 0.62 GAA is on pace to not only be the best by a freshman at UNM, but it would be fourth all-time in a single season, behind only Victor Rodriguez (0.50, 2011), Weber (0.55, 2004) and Rodriguez again (0.60, 2012).
MOST INTERESTING SCORER IN THE WORLD ... UNM’s senior midfielder Oniel Fisher doesn’t always score goals, but when he does, it’s a game-winner. He has four career goals in 33 matches and each one has been a game winner, including three this season: vs. No. 13 Akron on Aug. 29, at San Diego on Sept. 14, and vs. Missouri State on Oct. 12. His other career goal came against Penn State in the Sweet Sixteen last season, which was the first of two for UNM in its 2-0 win.
QUICK STRIKES ... UNM scored in the first minute on both Oct. 1 and Oct. 4, for just the third and fourth time in program history. On Oct. 1 Ben McKendry converted a penalty just 16 seconds in to open the scoring against West Virginia, which was the fastest goal in school history, and on Saturday, Oct. 4, UNM took a lead just 43 seconds into the match on a goal by Niko Hansen.
TLC TOURNAMENT CHAMPS ... UNM claimed the championship of its TLC Plumbing and Utility Invitational last weekend by virtue of its plus-two goal differential. Ben McKendry earned Tournament MVP honors, while Nick Miele was named Defensive MVP and Chris Wehan was Offensive MVP. James Rogers and Josh Dye were also named to the All-Tournament Team.
A MILE HIGH AND LOUDER THAN ... The Lobos ranked eighth in the nation in attendance last season, averaging 2,121 fans for each of the team’s 12 home games in 2013. UNM’s match vs. No. 1 UCLA was the second most attended regular-season home game in program history as 5,026 fans came out to UNM Soccer Complex. The Lobos are currently averaging 2,487 fans through eight home matches, which is eighth in the nation.
NO EASY PATH ... UNM’s schedule is not an easy one to negotiate. Starting with the opener against No. 13 Akron, five of the Lobos’ first eight games were against teams that were either ranked or receiving votes, including a matchup with No. 1 UCLA on Sept. 7. The Lobos’ only losses are to the teams ranked No. 1 (Charlotte), No. 2 (UCLA) and No. 28 (Kentucky) in the RPI.
FISH AMONG THE BEST ... Head Coach Jeremy Fishbein continues to build his coaching legacy at New Mexico. The 2014 season is Fishbein’s 13th at the helm of Lobo Soccer. His UNM record of 168-54-28 makes him the program’s all-time winningest coach. Furthermore, Fishbein has cemented himself among the best in the nation. His 142 wins since 2004 are tied for second in the nation among all active NCAA Division I head coaches.
NCAA Active Win Leaders Since 2004
1st - Sasho Cirovski (Maryland) - 170 wins
T-2nd - Jeremy Fishbein (New Mexico) - 142 wins
T-2nd - Jay Vicovich (Wake Forest) - 142 wins
T-2nd - Tom Vom Steeg (UC Santa Barbara) - 142 wins
5th - Ray Reid (UConn) - 140 wins
6th - Elmar Bolowich (Creighton) - 139 wins
7th - George Gelnovatch (Virginia) - 135 wins
8th - Ken Lolla (Louisville) - 130 wins
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