Not panicking turned out to be the best strategy for the Lobos.
New Mexico (2-2) recorded its second 2-0 shutout of the weekend after taking down the Cal Poly Mustangs (0-4) on Sunday night to emerge victorious from the TLC Plumbing and Utility Invitational.
The team was coming off its first win of the season, a 2-0 victory against the CSUN Matadors (2-1), on Friday.
The UNM back line has yet to allow a goal during their current run of play. The two goals they allowed during their season opening weekend came from penalty kicks.
Starting goalkeeper Jason Beaulieu said the reason the defense has been performing so well is that they approach every game with confidence.
“We are not panicking,” he said. “(Cal Poly) got one corner that went through and nobody touched. Maybe they could have touched it but it was like half chances. I think it was a very comfortable performance for us. There was no moment where we panicked.”
The first-half goal of the match came in the 25th minute from a rebounded corner kick.
Sophomore defender Aaron Herrera scored a back-heel goal from inside the box. Senior forward Niko Hansen and red-shirt senior defender Chris Gurule assisted on the goal.
Head coach Jeremy Fishbein said he was happy about Herrera’s shot but he felt his team could’ve had a stronger performance during the first 45 minutes of the match.
There were a total of seven shots in the first period, four of those coming from New Mexico. The Lobos led 5-2 in corner kicks, but also 8-2 in fouls.
Fishbein said those fouls could’ve turned out badly for the Lobos.
“It was a lack of discipline,” he said. “I think it was eight fouls in the first half and we gave them some fouls in our half. You can’t give teams openings. And that’s what we said; Cal Poly was going to get chances because we gave them chances.”
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The second half began with the Lobos attacking early. Herrera attempted to increase his team’s lead in the 49th minute, but his shot from inside the box was saved by Cal Poly’s Eric Kam.
In the 61st minute, Devin Boyce took a shot, but the threat was also saved by Kam. The same thing happened a minute later with Niko Hansen’s attempt.
The second goal for the Lobos finally came during the 87th minute by last year’s leading scorer, redshirt midfielder Chris Wehan. He scored after getting past one defender and taking a shot from the left outside of the box.
That was Wehan’s first goal of the season. Fishbein said he was glad to seem him scoring goals again.
“We are creating a lot of chances, maybe not sitters, but half chances. I think those are going to come. It was big that Chris Wehan got that goal for us today,” he said.
The match ended with each team recording 10 shots and New Mexico leading 9-3 in corner kicks.
Wehan was named tournament MVP, senior forward Niko Hansen won offensive MVP, and junior goalkeeper Jason Beaulieu took home the best defensive player award.
The Lobos will stay at home this week to face CSU Bakersfield on Friday and Grand Canyon on Sunday.
Isabel Gonzalez is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. She mainly covers men’s soccer and basketball. She can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @cisabelg.
