With 13 seconds left in double overtime, the UNM men's soccer team scored the game-winning goal Sunday and sent the No.1 team in the country, the Indiana Hoosiers, home packing.
Freshman Blake Danaher received a ball from junior Ben Ashwill and beat his defender to the left before calmly kicking the ball beyond the outstretched hands of the Hoosier goalkeeper.
"We talked about what we needed to do to take care of business," Danaher said. "We know we can play with anyone, and that's what we came out here and did."
With a torrential downpour in the first half that left standing water on the field, UNM (6-0-0) and Indiana (5-2-0) played a physical game in which players from both teams repeatedly limped off the field.
Six yellow cards and one red card were dished out to the teams, as the shivering sound of limbs smashing together echoed throughout the stadium. Senior Jeff Krause was dealt a red card with two minutes left in the first overtime for a bone-crushing tackle that left him and his victim sprawled out in pain on the field.
The Lobos played the remainder of the game a player down, but still managed to come up with one of the biggest wins the program has ever seen.
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"That was the greatest win in the history of Lobo soccer," head coach Jeremy Fishbein said. "It was the biggest regular season win ever."
Indiana was not without chances to score. The Lobos outshot the team 21-17, but goalkeeper Andrew Weber's high-flying saves kept the Hoosiers from putting the game away on several occasions. Weber recorded the 18th shutout of his career by stymieing the Hoosier attack.
The Lobo defense shouldered some of the duties in the back, and cleared two balls off the line as well. Weber was named the defensive MVP of the adidas/Crescent Financial Solutions Invitational for his prowess in front of the goal.
UNM's potent offense has now scored at least a goal in every game this season. Already ranked No. 14 in the country, this win will give the Lobos the highest national ranking they have ever had. Fishbein said the hard-earned win will give the team confidence.
"Our guys came into this game confident, and they expected to win this game," Fishbein said. "This shows us and the rest of the country that we are as good as any team out there."
Danaher's second goal of the season will possibly go down as one of the most exciting goals in UNM history. Although he is only a freshman, he said he knows exactly what the team asks of him and it is clear he is more than willing to give it.
"It's my job to score goals," Danaher said. "That was what I was brought in here to do."
UNM embarrassed the Columbia Lions 3-0 on Saturday night in their other tournament game this weekend. Erik Bagwell, Patrick Grange and Jeff Rowland all scored goals in the win. Rowland's seven goals going into the Columbia game ranked him fifth in the nation in goals scored.
