An ugly win Friday night kept the New Mexico women’s soccer team undefeated in Mountain West Conference play through the first three games.
Forward Ruth Bruciaga scored the game’s only goal in UNM’s 1-0 victory over Nevada at the UNM Soccer Complex, the Lobos’ first action at home in nearly a month. The win puts UNM with three straight wins to open conference play.
But it wasn’t pretty. UNM had difficulty with its decision-making in the attacking third of the field, head coach Heather Dyche said. Though pleased to come away with the win, Dyche said the team needs to shore some things up.
Despite outshooting Nevada by a 15-8 marking, including 7-2 in shots on goal, the Lobos found the net only once. UNM also committed 11 fouls to Nevada’s seven.
“I think we have to clean up our decision making if we want to stay undefeated in conference because other teams will capitalize on our errors,” she said. “We’re pleased with it and 3-0 is exactly where we want to be and we’ll take an ugly win, but we know we need to get better.”
Yet the Lobos (5-5-0, 3-0-0 MW) will take the win. Colorado College, UNM and San Jose State remain the three unbeatens in the MW after SJSU’s 2-1 win over Boise State and Colorado College’s 1-0 overtime victory against Colorado State.
Nevada, meanwhile, fell to 3-6-2 overall and 0-2-1 in the conference.
“It’s so important just because everyone’s beating everyone, so it’s really important to get wins,” Bruciaga said. “This conference is crazy, so it’s awesome to be 3-0. Can’t ask for anything more."
Bruciaga’s goal came at a minute and a half into the second half. With the ball dumped in to the Nevada defense, Quincy Slora took the ball and made a short pass to Bruciaga, who fired a low shot from 18 yards out to the left corner of the goal.
UNM’s offense was much more aggressive in the second half than the first as the Lobos took twice as many shots (10) as they did in the first half. Five of those second-half shots were on goal, compared to one in the first half.
“We talked at halftime. You can’t get complacent,” Dyche said. “I felt we were playing a little bit arrogant. I think we got two wins and felt good about ourselves, but nobody’s going to roll over in conference, especially to us.”
Lobo goalkeeper Cassie Ulrich made two saves.
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UNM continues MW play on Sunday hosting last-place UNLV (5-7-0, 0-3-0 MW). The Rebels dropped their third straight conference game Friday in a 3-0 decision to San Diego State.
“They’re going to come here with a chip on their shoulder and I think we are too,” Dyche said. “We’re going to come out Sunday and kind of show that wasn’t our best performance tonight.”
J.R. Oppenheim is the managing editor for the Daily Lobo. Contact him at managingeditor@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @JROppenheim.
