SPORTS
Champs! UNM hockey wins first Division II conference title
Lobos outscored its Northern Arizona and Arizona State 12-5 en route to the crown
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VALENCIA, Calif. — California dreaming no more: The Lobos conference fantasies have come true.
This weekend, the University of New Mexico men's club hockey team captured its first West Coast Hockey Conference title since moving to American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II last season.
The Lobos entered the weekend tournament with a first-round bye, via a first-place 19-6-1 regular season finish. UNM took Northern Arizona University 6-3 in the Saturday semifinals before securing the crown with a 6-2 victory over Arizona State on Sunday.
The Lobos took early leads in both contests and never trailed throughout the weekend, handling business with a “goal barrage” play style.
“Our team played our game through and through,” Lobos forward Zach Ganshaw said. “Regardless of who we were playing or what the score was.”
UNM will now have to try to bottle up some of that offensive momentum for a trip to Salt Lake City, set to play in the ACHA West Regionals on Feb. 20-21 via securing the conference’s automatic bid. The regionals schedule has not yet been posted.
“I am so proud of this team as they made a big statement today,” team manager Neal Weaver posted online after the win. “I have a feeling it's going to be a rowdy bus ride home.”
