Dominant and in control, it was another night where the Lobos were at their best defensively.
The University of Portland (2-3) was coming off of a disappointing 3-0 loss to UC Irvine in California, but their plans to set their season back on course against New Mexico were thwarted by a patient and organized UNM defense.
The Lobos (3-2) asserted their dominance early on, and it wasn’t until the end of the first half that Portland began to have some influence on the game. Portland head coach Garret Smith bemoaned the early start.
“That was a tough loss all around,” he said in a release. “Starting the game without possession and letting New Mexico set the tone was a frustrating start.”
In the early part of the 2017 campaign, the Lobos struggled to find a way to score despite having more shots and opportunities than in previous seasons. The Lobos had a pair of chances early into the game, with senior defender Emily Chavez heading just wide in the seventh minute and senior forward Quincey Slora firing a shot over the goal after a scramble in the Portland penalty area.
The Lobos pressed the Pilots all game, and the breakthrough finally arrived in the 64th minute.
Slora served the ball into the box and senior forward Claire Lynch provided the finish, bringing her career tally to 19 goals. Lynch is fourth in program history for goals and now has two goals this season.
The Lobos were unlucky not to add a second goal in the 80th minute when Chavez’s shot from inside the penalty area was parried by Portland junior goalkeeper Rachel Lusby.
Thanks to a strong performance from the UNM back line, the game finished 1-0. The Lobos conceded only three goals in their last five games and sophomore goalkeeper Emily Johnson has kept three clean sheets this season.
The Lobos outshot the Pilots 16-5; Portland failed to have a shot on target, and it wasn’t until the 22nd minute that they were able to register their first shot of the game. This was the first win against Portland in program history for the Lobos, and it was only the second meeting between the two sides; Portland won 10-0 back in 1995.
“Beating a team like Portland, who has won the national title twice, is a huge win for our program,” UNM head coach Heather Dyche said in a release. “It’s a really validating win in that we are doing things right and moving in the right direction. Every player on our team contributed tonight, and I’m really proud of them.”
The Lobos will be back in action against the University of Washington on Monday at 1 p.m.
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Matthieu Cartron is a freelance sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers women’s soccer. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @cartron_matt.
