Unbeaten in its first five home games, the UNM men's soccer team opens Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play on friendly turf when it hosts San Diego State University this weekend.
Picked in preseason polls to finish fifth out of seven teams, the Lobos have surprised the conference and the nation. With a record of 10-2, UNM stands alone atop its conference. With seven conference games on this year's schedule, the Lobos hope to run the table and grab the number one seed in the MPSF tournament.
"That's what we have to look at," said senior midfielder Javier Carrasco. "We set high expectations because we believe we are a team that can be successful. All of us play with confidence. That's why we are successful, because we all stick together and play well together."
UNM is coming off two thrilling victories and is prepared to ignite what could be an unforgettable season.
First and foremost, the Lobos must battle a formidable opponent with the Aztecs. SDSU beat the Lobos in San Diego last year, 2-1 in overtime. The Aztecs currently sit at 3-7-1 in non-conference play. They return nine starters but their record does not reflect their maturity.
SDSU has dropped three tough games to Top 25 opponents. Recently, the Aztecs defeated California State-Fullerton 1-0, the same team that administered the Lobos' first defeat.
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Although UNM has dropped out of recent Top 30 soccer polls, it is banging on the door. The Lobos' 10 wins are tied for second most in the nation.
Coming off a mediocre non-conference schedule, the Lobos look to prove their worth in conference play.
With the best overall record in the conference, UNM is the team to beat.
"That's what comes with a good record," Carrasco said. "Teams are going to be shooting at us, but I think our team is prepared to take on that challenge. We've been playing well all year and there comes a time when we need to be peaking. We're just going to get better and I think that will happen when we begin playing these very important conference matches."
The Lobo attack is led by freshman Ben Ashwill. He leads the MPSF in goals scored with eight and is tied for the lead in points with 17.
Freshman Lance Watson, sophomore Eric Carlson and team captain Junro Narita are all tied for second in assists with four each.
Goalkeeper Andrew Weber will try to protect the net as he looks to add to his four shutouts recorded this year. Weber is second in the MPSF behind Sacramento State's Matt McDougal in goals against average at 0.82 goals allowed per game.
Ashwill and senior Micah Newman both missed the trip to Colorado Springs for the team's last match. Ashwill is suffering from an ankle injury and Newman is hurting with a toe injury. They both have been listed as day-to-day in preparation for the conference opener.
The match will be played on Sunday Oct. 20, at 2 p.m., at the UNM soccer complex.
