If Sacramento State was a speed bag, the UNM men's soccer team thoroughly worked them early on Sunday at the UNM Soccer Complex with two quick, decisive blows, leading 2-0 less than seven minutes into the game.
But as any boxer will tell you, it's not about how you start; it's how you finish - something the Lobos have struggled to do.
Although the Lobos won 2-1, after Justin Davis and Simon Ejdemyr put the Lobos up 2-0 in the first half, UNM entered the second half lacking a go-for-the-jugular mentality and allowed Sacramento State back into the game with an easy penalty-kick goal in the 68th minute.
"We played really well the first half," head coach Jeremy Fishbein said. "Tactically, things change when you have a numerical advantage. We had the game in hand, and we had an unfortunate penalty kick against us, and it just changes everything."
For whatever reason, the Lobos have lacked the knockout punch.
When securing a halftime lead, UNM is just 3-1-2 this year. In the previous six years under Fishbein, the Lobos had a 76-3-7 record when they deposited a goal first and 48-1-2 mark after leading at intermission.
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"It's not a question," Fisbein said. "We needed to score the third goal. A 2-0 lead isn't a good lead, because if a team scores a goal, they're right in it until the whistle."
Talent isn't a question, either.
UNM possesses one of the most gifted and versatile forwards/midfielders in the conference: Chris Wright. His 23 career goals are fifth all-time at UNM.
UNM is unselfish, as demonstrated against Sacramento State, with 15 assists this season.
Justin Davis is coming into his own, too, not only recording three assists, but also cashing in with three goals, including the game-winner in overtime against San Jose State on Friday.
Jack Smithson and Stephen Brown are tied for first with Wright atop the points list with seven.
However, instead of being 9-3-0, the Lobos allowed three leads to slip away and stand at 6-4-2.
"It's just about finishing your opportunities," Fishbein said. "It would have been nice to have a little bit more of a relaxing game."
Or is it possible the Lobos rely on their talent to help them coast through halves?
"It's really hard to say," Wright said. "Sometimes it happens; sometimes it doesn't. The important thing is that we keep improving as a team. A good team finds a way to win."
But a great team?
Mickey Goldmill once told Rocky, "You had the talent to become a great fighter, but instead of that, you become a legbreaker to some cheap, second-rate loan shark."
The Lobos have the talent to be a great team. But do they have the discipline to avoid lackadaisical tendencies?
"That's maturity," Fishbein said. "I think our guys focus on scoring more goals than preventing goals. That's maybe an overconfidence in their playing abilities."
If there's one thing that will drive a disciplinarian like Fishbein crazy, it's overconfidence, Wright said.
"We'll find out what his reaction is," he said.
Best guess: Fishbein will take the approach of a trainer.
"I probably have to be tougher on them," he said.
