The UNM men's soccer team extended its improbable post-season run, but fell short of the ultimate upset, losing 2-0 to top-ranked Southern Methodist University Sunday in Dallas.
The Lobos played the spoiler during their last four games, riding a wave of unprecedented confidence through the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference Tournament and a first-round win in the NCAA Tournament.
UNM overcame an abysmal record - winless in conference regular season play at 0-6-1, 3-11-2 overall - but reality struck Sunday afternoon.
"It was a close game - a very, very good game," head coach Klaus Weber said. "We went into it hoping to sort of hold them off and play good defense, knowing where their pressure points were. We played strong, but we just couldn't pull it out."
Weber said the score didn't necessarily reflect the close nature of the game, nor did it adequately compliment the defensive pressure the Lobos put on SMU, a national powerhouse that went into the game undefeated at 19-0.
The Mustangs scored early in the game on what Weber called a defensive lapse by UNM. SMU midfielder Kevin Hudson slipped a short pass in the box to forward Luchi Gonzales, who beat goalkeeper Andrew Weber for the goal at the 9:21 mark, ending a streak of 360 scoreless minutes by the Lobo defense.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
While the Mustangs controlled the tempo for much of the first half, the Lobos had several scoring opportunities, including a near miss on a goal when midfielder William Junot fired a header past SMU goalkeeper Byron Foss. The shot soared a few inches above the cross bar.
Despite being down 1-0, the Lobos pulled together and held SMU scoreless the remainder of the first half.
"I thought we did a great job after they scored and we were still very much in the game," Weber said. "The thing about games like this is that you aren't in control with just a 1-0 lead."
In the second half, the Lobos rallied, controlling the momentum, and Weber said he felt they looked like the better team on the field.
UNM came out as the aggressor, notching six of its nine shots in the final 45 minutes. The Lobos lost out on several scoring opportunities, including a bicycle kick shot by UNM forward Ty Hibbert that was thwarted by a Foss save.
The Lobos had to push themselves on offense to make up for the deficit and got caught playing too far up field when the Mustangs broke away and were fouled by UNM in the box. The violation resulted in an SMU goal by Walsh off the ensuing penalty kick to give the Mustangs a 2-0 victory.
"They found a seam and got behind us," Weber said. "There's not much you can do about that. Up until that point, we were definitely still in the game. It could have gone either way, and we had some scoring opportunities but we just couldn't convert. You can't do that against the top-ranked team in the country."
Weber said that after the Lobos picked up their first NCAA Tournament win 1-0 over Florida International University Friday, they quickly turned their attention to SMU. The Mustangs had every advantage going their way - home field, confidence fueled by an undefeated season, talent and an opening round bye.
Despite the loss, Weber said he was proud of the team.
"They fought very hard and executed the game plan to perfection," he said. "SMU has a high-powered, potent offense, so you really have to deny the ball and take their big players out of the game. I think the boys did that, and we really only made one mistake in letting them score in the first half."
The loss capped off a season that is a true turning point in the men's soccer program. The team earned its first conference title, first NCAA Tournament bid and first win in the tournament. Weber credited his seniors with leading the team to a four-game winning streak.
While the Lobos were unable to keep their season alive, Weber said the team has raised its expectations for next year.
"Hopefully we'll finish with a strong recruiting class as a result of this exposure, be competitive in conference play and get back to the NCAA Tournament - this time playing at home," he said. "There's no doubt that once you taste this type of run, it has an impact and you want to repeat the success. The downside is the pressure associated with that, but that's really a good thing for this program."
Weber said it was never a question of whether he or his players believed they could resurrect what was left of their losing season.
"We knew the potential was there and our expectations were always very high," he said. "We never lost confidence, and I think our players always believed in themselves. Things that weren't perfect earlier in the season came together. You have to admit, it was a great year and, at the least, a very strong finish."
