Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Daily Lobo The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Latest Issue
Read our print edition on Issuu
9/30_soccer

James Rogers glances toward the UC Davis player he committed a foul upon at the UNM Soccer Complex on Friday night. The Lobos lost their third-straight home game.

Missed shots make for third home loss

assistantsports@dailylobo.com
@JROppenheim

He wasn’t speechless after Friday night’s nonconference finale against UC Davis, but New Mexico men’s soccer coach Jeremy Fishbein found the Lobos’ third-straight home loss difficult to explain.

UNM, which begins its first Conference USA contest today at Marshall, surrendered a goal late in the second half in a 2-1 loss to Davis. The Lobos had not lost three consecutive home games in the 12 years Fishbein has been head coach.

Aggies forward Matt Wiesenfarth posted his first goal this year at the 73:25 mark, drawing UNM goalkeeper Michael Lisch out of position and scoring from the far post. A clearing miscue from Lobo defender Matthew Gibbons contributed to the Wiesenfarth score.

Prior to Friday night’s setback, UNM endured home losses to then-No. 11 Cal State Northridge on Sept. 15 and Drake University on Sept. 20. The Lobos bounced back from the two-game skid by winning at UC Santa Barbara Monday, but the latest defeat drops their overall record to 4-3-1.

“I don’t know what to say because it’s not effort. It’s not the quality of our guys,” Fishbein said. “It’s not the style of play. It’s just missing a little bit — it’s beyond me.”

As it has in several games this year, UNM battled for a majority of the contest in its attacking end. The Lobos attempted 18 shots with eight on goal, and they held an 11-2 advantage on corner kicks. Davis took four shots, three on goal.

A Lisch foul 22 minutes into the game resulted in a successful penalty kick made by Davis midfielder Ryan Gross. The two collided as Lisch tried to grab hold of the ball, but the official whistled the Lobo goalkeeper when Gross fell to the grass.

UNM trailed until the 62-minute mark when forward Ben McKendry’s shot from five yards out found the net. Defender Oniel Fisher had the assist on the play.

Midfielder Michael Calderon missed a chance to even the match much sooner. Shortly after the Davis penalty kick, a Davis player committed a foul in the box to set up a PK for UNM. Calderon lined up and took a low shot to the left side of the goal, but Davis goalkeeper Omar Zeenni made a diving save and held onto the ball.

Lisch did not make a save, though the team did have one stop on a defensive play from defender Kyle Venter. Zeenni halted seven UNM shots on goal, including two apiece from McKendry, Calderon and forward James Rogers.

In its last four games UNM has amassed 61 shots but found the net only four times.

Enjoy what you're reading?
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Subscribe

“Once again, if you look at the stat sheet — which obviously does not dictate the outcome — we had the majority of play,” Fishbein said. “We played very well, but when you miss a penalty kick, you miss a couple of easy ones at the goal, you leave teams in it.”

The Lobos have a quick turnaround for the team’s first C-USA game with today’s road trip to West Virginia to play Marshall. The Thundering Herd, which also opens its conference slate, is 2-4-3 with victories over IPFW and Virginia Military Institute. Marshall tied Northern Kentucky and Bowling Green in its last two games.

Marshall has scored at least one goal in each of its last outings.

Defender/midfielder Jack Hopkins leads the team with three goals this season. Opponents have outscored the team 11-9, but the Herd has an 8-4 edge on goals scored in the second half.

With a rough end to the nonconference schedule, Fishbein said it will be a difficult climb for an NCAA tournament bid. UNM must prevail in Conference USA and receive the league’s automatic bid if it wants to see postseason action, he said.

“That’s not where you want to be after the nonconference, that’s for sure,” Fishbein said. “You want to put yourself in a position where if you do well, you can get an at-large into the NCAA. I don’t think we’re probably in that situation right now. We’re going to have to win the conference and it starts with being good Monday.”

Comments
Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Daily Lobo