No. 9 Lobos Drop Another Match To Air Force
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The ninth-ranked New Mexico men's soccer team lost at the hands of Air Force (6-6-1) for the second time in a week by the score of 2-1 Friday night. Air Force's Caleb Downey scored the game-winner in the 75th minute for the Falcons. Downey also tallied the game-winner for Air Force in their overtime win at the UNM Soccer Complex one week ago.
New Mexico conceded the match's first goal in the fifth minute on a thirty-yard shot from Kevin Durr. Durr's goal, which was unassisted, was the senior's second goal of the season.
The early Falcon goal was the only scoring action of the first half. The Lobos were out-shot by their opponent (six to five) in the first half for the first time since UNM's double overtime win over UC Irvine on September 16th. Of New Mexico's five shots, only Matthew Gibbon's attempt in the ninth minute was on goal.
After giving up a goal in the first five minutes of the first half, the Lobos would score one in the first handful of minutes of the second half. The equalizer came from senior Nik Robson who converted a penalty kick in the 51st minute. The goal was Robson's third of the season.
The match remained tied for 23 minutes before a familiar face came back to haunt the Lobos. Caleb Downey, the hero for Air Force in their overtime win in Albuquerque last week, scored his second goal of the season off an assist from Jake Jones after a melee inside the box.
UNM was unable to tie the game for a second time in the remaining fifteen minutes of action despite a flurry of shots from James Rogers, Blake Smith, Michael Calderon and Kyle Venter.
The Lobos suffered their third loss of the season and currently have a record of 9-3-0 (2-2-0 MPSF). New Mexico held the advantage in shots (16-11) and corner kicks (7-4) for the match.
The loss marks the first time New Mexico has lost to Air Force twice in a season since 2001.
New Mexico will look to bounce back in their second road match of the weekend. The Lobos will travel to Denver University to face the Pioneers at 1 p.m. (MT) on Sunday afternoon.
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