Women's soccer ties Longhorns

by Adrian Doerfler

Daily Lobo

If the preseason is any indication, the UNM women's soccer team might be able to hang with the best of them.

The Lobos ended their exhibition season by tying No. 9 Texas on Friday at the UNM Soccer

Complex.

There were multiple scoring opportunities for both teams, but the game ended in a scoreless draw. The Lobos had eight shots against the Longhorns, and two were on goal. The UNM women finished the preseason with a 2-0-1 record.

"Considering how young we are, it's good to get the young players out on the field," head coach Kit Vela said. "The experience you gain from playing one of the top programs in the nation is immeasurable. That's the biggest thing."

The best scoring chance for UNM happened with just over 10 minutes remaining when junior Hannah Hand passed the ball to freshman Alexis Ball, who was unable to find the net.

The Lobos also nearly won the match when Ball broke away from the defense and had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but missed the shot.

Ball finished with three shots and two on goal to lead the Lobos' offense.

Despite the tie, Hand said holding Texas scoreless gives the Lobos something to be excited about.

"Playing a team of high caliber this early helps you realize where you are as a team currently," she said. "We can go back to the drawing board and figure out what we really need to work on."

Vela played two of her goalkeepers and neither disappointed. Second team All-Mountain West Conference honoree Shannon Adragna was solid, recording three saves in the first half.

Sophomore Kiani Wong came in the second half and held strong despite early offensive pressure from the Longhorns, ending the game with four saves.

With the loss of five seniors from last year, the Lobos were forced to bring in many freshmen, and some will be asked to contribute. The Lobos started two freshmen against Texas.

The learning curve from high school to Division I can be difficult, but the newest Lobos have proven to be up to the challenge, Adragna said.

"The freshmen have come in and done an awesome job," she said. "They're exceeding all of our expectations and have been doing a great job on and off the field. The true testament for the freshmen is if they come in fit and ready to play. That way we can get into the tactical stuff right away at the beginning of the preseason."

The Lobos won their two previous exhibition games by shutting out New Mexico Highlands, 2-0, and West Texas A&M, 4-0. They were picked fifth in a preseason coaches poll but will look for their third-straight winning season.

Vela knows her team is short on experience, but she is excited about her team's potential.

"We're as talented, if not more talented, than last year's team," she said. "We're just young. We're going to make some mistakes. Most of the mistakes made come from lack of experience, not from a lack of talent. I look at Texas and think that's a heck of a team. We're just as good, just different."

Box

Women's soccer at Oklahoma State

Friday, 6 p.m.

Stillwater, Okla.