by Riley Bauling
Daily Lobo
The UNM men's soccer team extended its winning streak to three games this weekend beating San Jose State 1-0 Friday and Sacramento State 3-0 Sunday.
In Friday night's game the Lobos handed the No. 25 team in the country, the San Jose State Spartans, its first conference loss on a goal by forward Patrick Grange in the 84th minute.
Grange fired a guided missile from the top of the 18-yard box that found the upper-right corner of the net to score the lone goal of the match.
The win was important for the Lobos, Grange said, because San Jose State is atop the conference with an undefeated record.
"That win was huge for us because they were the top team in the conference," he said. "We are blending as a team at the perfect time."
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UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein said the win was crucial because they were missing starting defender Matt Wootton, who was out with a red card and forward Jeff Rowland only played 20 minutes due to illness.
"We need confidence and this win is going to help us," Fishbein said. "We're not looking ahead. The way this season has been going, we just want to take it one game at a time."
The Lobos kept their streak alive on Sunday afternoon with a convincing 3-0 defeat of the Sacramento State Hornets.
Andrew Weber recorded his 16th career shutout to give him the record for career shutouts by UNM goalkeepers.
The game against the Hornets was senior Stian Eriksen's final home game. However, Eriksen left the field in the first half due to injury and did not return.
The Lobos got on the board first in the 31st minute with a quick combination play between forwards Jeff Rowland and Lance Watson that stung the Hornets, and Watson scored the first goal of the match.
Forward Ben Ashwill deftly finished a cross from Wootton five minutes later to put the Lobos up 2-0 going into halftime.
Ashwill was not done for the day, as he found the back of the net in the 59th minute with a header off a cross from Erik Bagwell that was deflected by a Hornet defender.
The conference tournament is coming up for the Lobos, and Ashwill said the team is optimistic about their chances.
"If we play like we have been, we can play with any team in the conference," Ashwill said. "We're going to have to be looked at as one of the favorites because of these past two wins."
Fishbein said his team's cohesion and its ability to score goals will help it succeed in the conference tournament that starts after the Lobos play their final game of the regular season Nov. 9 at San Diego State.
"We're beginning to work as a unit," Fishbein said. "As long as we keep scoring goals, we'll win games."
