The University of New Mexico Men’s Soccer team got a first-hand taste of why Kentucky is the No. 3 ranked team in the nation on Saturday, as the Wildcats battered the Lobos in a 6-1 loss.
"We didn't open the match with maturity and we were exposed defensively," head coach Jeremy Fishbein said in a release. "There are no excuses, Kentucky is an excellent team with confidence and a few special players. We played into their strengths. As the coach, I didn't prepare our team properly, I will take the blame for this one.”
Kentucky wasted no time attacking the net, recording its first shot of the game less than a minute into the match, and scoring its first goal in the seventh minute of the game. The Kentucky offense continued to pound UNM goalkeeper Ford Parker and the defense in front of him.
Kalil Elmedkhar scored the first of the game on a chance he created for himself, as he beat the Lobos defense and got into the box and finished into the near corner to open the scoring and give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
The second goal for UK came just about a minute and a half later, as Jason Reyes scored his fourth goal of the season on a cross from leading scorer J.J. Williams that found the foot of Reyes on the edge of the six-yard-box, after it appeared to deflect off of Lobos defender Billy Jones, and he was able to tap it home to double the lead.
Elmedkhar went on to score his second goal of the match in the 11’ minute on a ball played between the center backs at the top of the 18-yard-box. Williams would score a goal of his own in the 17’ minute as he was on the receiving end of a cross that he put between Parker’s legs into the net to give Kentucky a 4-0 lead.
The Lobos were able to pull one back in the 22’ minute thanks to senior Antoine Vial, who was played in by Nick Taylor for UNM’s only goal of the game. It was one of two shots the Lobos put on goal all game. At the half, the Wildcats held a 4-1 lead.
In the second half UK was able to add two more goals to its tally, as Reyes got his second on a spin move that he finished with a backheel into the net. Clay Holstad also scored for the Wildcats, giving the freshman his first collegiate goal as Kentucky as UK rotated its players, using nine subs in the game and playing the last 20 minutes without any of its early goalscorers.
On the afternoon, the Wildcats had 13 shots, 11 of which were on target, compared to only five total and two on target for UNM. The loss drops the Lobos to 4-10-0 (2-4-0 C-USA) on the season with two weeks left to play. UNM is currently in sixth place in the conference with two games remaining in the regular season.
The Lobos wrap up the home portion of their schedule next Saturday, Oct. 27 against Marshall University at 7 p.m. The three seniors on this year’s team will be honored before the game.
Cameron Goeldner is a sports beat reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers men’s soccer, women’s basketball, softball and the Albuquerque Isotopes, but also contributes content for baseball, basketball, football and track and field. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @goeldfinger.
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