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Saturday, November 01, 2008

New Mexico Drops UNLV

By Glen Rosales
For the Journal
          The previous problems the University of New Mexico men's soccer team had in scoring goals wasn't evident Friday.
        Instead, the Lobos built steady pressure and cashed in enough of their opportunities to come away with an important 3-2 victory over UNLV at the UNM Soccer and Track Complex.
        Mike Porter chest-thumped the ball in after a flick from Justin Davis in the 77th minute to provide the eventual winning score.
        "However you get it in the net," Porter said of the score.
        UNM was pleased with its offensive output, but not with the two goals allowed.
        "We did some good things, but as a whole we're not real pleased with the way we played," Porter said. "Our goal every game is to get a shutout, and we didn't do that."
        Davis also started the scoring for New Mexico (8-5-2, 4-2 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play), heading in a cross from Jack Smithson in the 42nd minute. Simon Ejdemyr later converted a penalty kick in the 65th minute.
        That just made up for a penalty kick that the Rebels (8-5-1, 3-3) scored eight minutes earlier.
        It was a tough way for goalkeeper Justin Fite to give up his first career goal in his first college start.
        "It was unfortunate," the new goalkeeper said of the penalty shot.
        Getting a chance to show what he could do, however, was not.
        "It was a good relief to get it out of the way," he said of his first start. "This was a good win."
        Fite said he had an inkling he might get the nod this week with the way the practices were shaping up.
        "I trained with the starters through most of the week," he said. "But they didn't tell me until the Thursday night meeting. I've been waiting patiently for my chance. You just want a chance to prove yourself."
        The Lobos also proved that they haven't forgotten where the net is, especially now that the team is finally approaching full strength.
        "It's really tough to make the lineup every week," Porter said. "We have 20 guys that could play for any team in the country. That makes every practice very competitive. You have to go out there and prove you should play."
        WOMEN: The Lobos got goals from Hannah Hand and Alexis Ball on Friday in a nationally televised game against the Rebels, winning 2-1 to earn fourth place in the Mountain West Conference. The win ended a five-match losing streak to UNLV and gives UNM a spot in the six-team conference tournament that starts Wednesday in Las Vegas, Nev.
        New Mexico will face UNLV in the opening round.