Women rule in Rio Grande Rivalry match, win 1-0

assistantsports@dailylobo.com 

Goals were so rare for the Sunday evening UNM-NMSU women’s soccer match that the ball did not see the back of the net until the 108-minute, 9-second mark.

Junior midfielder Elba Holguin scored the game’s lone goal with 1:51 left in the second overtime session, leading the Lobos to a 1-0 win over rival New Mexico State.

Holguin scored from 12 yards out off a centering pass from senior forward Jordan Craig. Junior defender Liz Nare set up the scoring opportunity with a long pass to Craig.

“It was awesome,” Holguin said of her first goal in 2012. “I saw the far corner open and just went for it.”

UNM (4-4-1) spent most of the match on its offensive end, limiting NMSU’s scoring chances. The Aggies (1-5-2) had three shots total, compared to 22 from UNM. On all NMSU shots on goal, Lobo senior goalie Kelli Cornell made the saves.

Saturday’s match was UNM’s second home contest of the season.
“I think we started off a little slow with all the road trips and everything,” UNM head coach Kit Vela said. “I think a lot of players came on and did a nice job. There were a lot of nerves for some first-time starters.”

UNM forward Stephanie Rowe and midfielder Rachel Montoya had the most chances to score with five shots apiece. Rowe attempted three shots on goal.

Both teams played a scoreless first half with few offensive opportunities. UNM had eight shots and two shots on goal, while NMSU had one. In the half, midfielder Dylann O’Connor and forward Natalie Jenks had the shots on goal for the Lobos.

The Lobos also had one corner kick in the first 45 minutes and five for the game. NMSU did not attempt a corner kick.

“That’s two games in a row that we’ve gone almost the whole 110 minutes,” NMSU coach Blair Quinn said. “That was our fifth game in 10 days, and for our girls to play like that and fight like that against a team everybody knows is as good as UNM is — I’m very proud of them.”