For five UNM women's soccer players, Friday's game against UNLV could be their last.
But senior forward Hannah Hand has played with that approach her whole career.
"I haven't changed anything since I was a freshman," Hand said about her game-time mentality. "Just go out and play every game like it is your last."
Hand started her UNM soccer career as a freshman in 2005.
The Los Angeles native excelled, leading her team with 21 goals and 11 assists.
Hand said moving to Albuquerque was like stuffing a big fish into a sardine can.
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"It was definitely a big culture shock - a big transition from a very large city to a smaller city," she said. "During my recruiting trip, I slipped up and said Albuquerque was 'a really cute town.' Then someone told me that this is the biggest city in New Mexico."
Hand said the coaching staff and the region helped her decide to play at UNM.
"I really liked Kit (Vela), Jorge (Vela) and all the coaching staff when I came out here," Hand said. "I liked the area - the campus. My parents were familiar with New Mexico before I even got out here. The whole Southwest experience - I really liked it."
As the Southwest has grown on Hand, her game has developed.
"Her first two years (at UNM), she was the third forward off the bench," head coach Kit Vela said. "Her last two years here, she has been a starter and played most minutes most games. So, I guess her improvement is pretty good."
Vela said Hand's talent is not the only thing that will be missed.
"She plays a lot of minutes, and we'll have to replace what she brings to the table," Vela said. "But we will miss Hannah as a person. She is a great kid."
Throughout her career, Hand has made a name for herself as an assist ace. Last season, she ranked seventh in the UNM record books in assists with 10. She has raked in six assists this year.
But Hand modestly dismisses the record.
"Assists are kind of a luck-of-the-draw type thing," she said. "Someone has to get on the end of whatever ball I am serving in there. I've really been lucky that I have been with people that have been able to get on the end of my serves. It's more an attribute to them than it is to me."
Hand said her record is just a means to an end for the Lobos.
"You know, it is nice to see that I have more assists than the average assister, but it's not about that," she said. "It's about scoring and your team winning."
And she has her sights set on winning Friday's match against UNLV.
"The focus is always on the game at point," she said. "As soon as that is over, we are preparing immediately for the next game. Now the UNLV game is on all of our minds."
Friday's game could be her last. But that hasn't given the team extra motivation - it has been there all along.
"Since the beginning of conference, since the beginning of preseason, since the beginning of last spring," she said, "it's all been about winning."
BOX
Women's soccer vs. UNLV
Friday
3:30 p.m.
UNM Soccer Complex
