After being on the road for six straight games, the No. 25 UNM women’s soccer team threw out the welcome mat for San Diego State.
But on Friday, the visitors were met with an inhospitable result, and the Lobos topped the Aztecs 2-1 at the UNM Soccer Complex.
UNM, 8-1-3, remains undefeated in Mountain West Conference play and at home this season.
“We did not play poorly, but this was not the best performance we have had this season,” head coach Kit Vela said. “I think we were a little impatient tonight.”
The Lobos dictated the pace of the match from the get-go and should have had a lead going into halftime, but great defense from both sides kept the match scoreless for the first 45 minutes.
Opening the second half, UNM scored its first goal quickly, striking during the first 10 minutes of the half.
Midfielder Zaneta Wyne picked up the ball 30 yards from goal. With no one pressuring her, Wyne fired a shot that soared over SDSU goalkeeper Aubree Southwick and into the far post.
“We have been pretty good on the road,” Wyne said. “But we have to come here and show our fans what we are all about.”
UNM, however, held its lead for all of 11 minutes.
SDSU’s Marisa Fraticelli tied the game with a header off a corner kick.
The goal gave the Aztecs momentum and created several more counter attacks for SDSU.
Vela said she was concerned about her team’s poor defending.
“It’s one of those things where we fell asleep for one second,” she said. “We don’t give up a lot of goals like that, so it was unfortunate, but I was proud of how the girls reacted to that.”
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The Lobos scored the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute. Jordan Craig dribbled past one player, avoided a tackle, stayed on her feet and chipped the ball over Southwick.
UNM nearly added a third in the final moments, but Craig couldn’t convert for insurance points.
“We were not accustomed to the style of play they had,” Vela said. “We’re used to a very high pace game, and that’s how it’s been all season, but it wasn’t today, so we had to adjust.”
