by Riley Bauling
Daily Lobo
The NCAA tournament selection committee got its brush out and painted a target on the back of the UNM men's soccer team on Nov. 14 when it gave the Lobos the No. 2 seed.
It's no big deal because the target has been there all year.
"It's all right," said senior left back Matt Wootton about the high seed. "We've been in the top five most of the season, so we're used to being in the spotlight, and we're at home. There's no better place to play than at home."
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Senior forward Jeff Rowland seconded that, saying the Lobos are accustomed to the pesky bull's-eye a high ranking carries.
"Everyone's a bit nervous, but at the same time confident," Rowland said. "We'll be nervous for the first few minutes, but we feel like we are better than the teams we are going to play. We just have to perform," he said.
The No. 2 seed kind of makes up for the No. 13 seed UNM received last year despite being ranked No. 1 in the country. The Lobos are again ranked No. 1 in the country, and Wootton said there was no way the selection committee was messing up this year.
"Last year they thought we were just lucky," he said. "But this year they gave us more respect and thought we were a quality team."
Head coach Jeremy Fishbein said the Lobos couldn't be more pleased with the No. 2 seed.
"We're really happy," he said. "We felt like we were deserving of a top-four seed. We weren't banking on it, but it was nice."
The Lobos take on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the second round of the tournament Tuesday at the UNM Soccer Complex, after Wisconsin-Milwaukee beat Bradley University in the first round 2-0 Friday.
UNM isn't sweating the Panthers in its first game of the tournament. That's because the Lobos' coaches have done their homework, Wootton said.
"They flew out and watched the (Wisconsin-Milwaukee vs. Bradley) game," Wootton said. "They made up a packet with details about every single player. If we play the way we can, we're going to take it to them. If we play like we know how, they're the ones that should be worried about us."
Rowland said the Panthers have always been a quality team, but there's no stopping the Lobos if they come out to play.
"They're always a good team," he said. "They always make the tournament. They're going to be good, but like I said, we're better than any team we're going to face."
UNM is coming off two conference wins at home last weekend - a 1-0 win against Denver University on Friday and a 1-0 win against Air Force Academy in overtime Sunday.
Those two wins have the Lobos feeling good about how things are coming together heading into the tournament, Wootton said.
"We're playing good soccer," he said. "We're confident and we're composed. We're obviously going to be a little nervous, but I'm more excited to be honest with you."
Rowland said the Lobos are starting the tournament ready to hit their peak.
"We're coming in at a great time," he said. "Everyone's healthy, except for Lance (Watson) picking up a little injury. But for the most part, you couldn't ask for more."
Watson sat out the Lobos' Air Force game with a leg injury, but Fishbein said it was more of a precaution than anything. Had it been a tournament game, Watson would have been playing, Fishbein said.
With the No. 2 seed, UNM gets three games at home before the Final Four in Cary, N.C., if it keeps winning.
Come tournament time, though, any team can beat any other one, Fishbein said.
"We play a quality team and now rankings and seeds don't mean a thing," he said.
