Sports

Sports

Hard-won victory teaches tenacity

Isaac Avilucea | November 16

Now and again, the UNM women’s basketball team will face an oddball squad that gives them problems. That happened on Sunday at The Pit, though the Lobos, thanks to some adept coaching from head coach Don Flanagan, got past Florida Gulf Coast’s lineup traps for an 80-64 victory. The Lobos advance to face Oklahoma State in the semifinals of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday. FGCU was quite the conundrum for the UNM women’s basketball team. What the Eagles lacked in size, they made up for in grit, constantly hounding the Lobos’ post players with busy hands.

---

Sports

Highlanders laid low

Mario Trujillo | November 16

UC-Riverside was finished almost before the game began. The game was close — for all of five minutes.

---

Sports

Sophomore dream team rules court

Ryan Tomari | November 16

The low post seemed to be a big problem for the UNM men’s basketball team. Hold your horses. Will Brown and A.J.

---

Sports

QB: We had plenty of opportunities

Ryan Tomari | November 16

Somehow, some way, the UNM football team finds new ways to beat themselves every week. Even though it seemed the Lobos had a fighting chance, they again shot themselves in the foot, almost literally, in a matchup against BYU at University Stadium on Saturday. The Lobos lost to No.

---

Sports

Nationals in sight, a few steps farther

Eddie Zayas | November 15

Two teams, two different futures. The men’s and women’s cross country teams hosted the NCAA Mountain Regional at the UNM Championship Golf Course on Saturday, but the Lobos couldn’t keep up the momentum they built in their previous victories. It was a bitter weekend following both teams’ title sweeps at the Mountain West Conference Championships the week before. The men’s team followed up that performance by finishing third in Saturday’s event and will advance to nationals, pending the mere formality of an at-large bid, which shouldn’t be a problem. The women’s team turned in an uncharacteristic performance, coming in fifth place, after finishing first in the Mountain West Conference Championships. That left them in a tough spot, head coach Joe Franklin said. “Nationals is still possible,” he said.

---

Sports

Men's soccer aims high as tournament begins

Nathan Farmer | November 13

The UNM men’s soccer team’s fate hinges on how it does when the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament, which got underway on Thursday in Denver. After finishing second in conference with a 5-2 league record behind undefeated Sacramento State, the conference tournament has become a must-win for the Lobos. After Saturday’s crucial 2-0 win over UNLV, the Lobos were guaranteed the second seed, which assured them a bye game in the first round. “That last win was huge,” said sophomore standout Michael Green.

---

Sports

BYU won't hold back for 0-9 team

Isaac Avilucea | November 12

Mike Locksley may just have an undiagnosed case of dissociative amnesia. The same could be said of the UNM football team. Neither Locksley nor defensive end Jaymar Latchison can recall the Lobos’ series record against BYU: 43-14-1. Curiously, Locksley rapidly rattled off a barrage of statistics during Tuesday’s weekly media luncheon. But when it came to the Lobos’ record against ranked BYU squads, Locksley conveniently skipped over it, until a reporter brought it to his attention. “I like to have selective memory when it comes to negative things, for the most part,” he said. He kind of has to, since UNM, when facing the Cougars while ranked, has managed just an anemic 1-15 record.

---

Sports

Alford teaches his team humility and synergy

Isaac Avilucea | November 12

And so begins a behind-the-scenes peek into the making of a motion picture starring Darington “Butter” Hobson, the UNM men’s basketball team’s junior college transfer, widely thought to be former Lobo men’s basketball swingman J.R.

---

Sports

Sophomore a surprise success

Mario Trujillo | November 12

As a young player, sophomore guard Lauren Taylor wasn’t strong, she wasn’t quick and she didn’t have hops.

---

Sports

Court's in session

Isaac Avilucea and Ryan Tomari | November 12

Men’s 09 Starting line The 2009-10 UNM men’s basketball team’s season will be much like an episode of “Unsolved Mysteries” for head coach Steve Alford. Super sleuth Alford will have to figure out one looming question: How can the Lobos repeat their performance from a year ago? The Lobos, who are picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West Conference, have only one senior leader, Roman Martinez.

---

Sports

Lobos crashed Eastern New Mexico at the exhibition game

Ryan Tomari | November 9

That’s all, folks. Eastern New Mexico had a puncher’s chance that is, until the UNM women’s basketball team threw a haymaker. The Lobos manhandled the Zias in their lone exhibition game, 100-52. Although the dress rehearsal is supposed to be easy, head coach Don Flanagan said he saw things that needed some tweaking before the Lobos’ regular season-opener on Friday against Northern Colorado. “I am probably going to get a little bit negative now,” Flanagan said.

---

Sports

Sophomore ensures victory against UNLV

Nathan Farmer | November 9

Michael Green showed Lobo fans what’s left in the tank for the UNM men’s soccer team next year. Green, a sophomore, showed the Lobos won’t be without talent next season, even though UNM is losing five seniors, all of whom played their last home game on Saturday during Senior Night at the UNM Soccer Complex.

---

Sports

Players still winless after Utah game

Ryan Tomari | November 9

Fact: The UNM football team is 0-9, and it’s not fine. Solution: Well, other than consider scheduling YAFL teams, there might not be one. Unfortunately for the Lobos, their final three games don’t get any easier.

---

Sports

Seniors go out with a bang at final home game

Brandon Call | November 9

Saturday was a night to remember for the UNM volleyball team. Not only did the Lobos bid a fond farewell to seniors Anna Lehne, Rose Morris and Allie Suiter, who were playing in their final home matches, but the team also avenged an earlier 3-0 loss to BYU, this time coming out on top 25-23, 25-17, 25-23 at Johnson Gym. With the win, UNM moved into fourth place in Mountain West Conference race at 18-8 overall and 9-5 in conference.

---

Sports

Tournament showcases improving team

Staff Report | November 9

The UNM women’s tennis team showed noticeable improvement this weekend at the Southwest Collegiate Invitational at the UNM Tennis Complex. Despite being hampered by injuries to junior Ashley Bonner and freshman Amy Shipperd, the Lobos had a combined 17 wins.

---

Sports

Coach to blame for athlete's actions

Isaac Avilucea | November 9

Thank you, Kit Vela, for your part in making the UNM women’s soccer team look like a bunch of ragamuffin delinquents. All that the Lobos accomplished this season has been overshadowed by the debacle that went down in Provo, Utah, on Saturday. Elizabeth Lambert will be ascribed a reputation that likely isn’t “indicative of her character” or what she necessarily deserves.

---

Sports

Violent act gains national attention

Mario Trujillo | November 9

Lobo soccer player Elizabeth Lambert snuck her attacks past officials for the majority of the game against BYU on Thursday.

---

Sports

Women's soccer player suspended indefinitely

Mario Trujillo | November 6

It didn’t happen in a dimly lit meeting room, and fans don’t need handwritten testimony to know what happened. It’s perfectly clear what Elizabeth Lambert did. The UNM soccer player threw punches and pulled the hair of her opponents during a match Thursday, and for this she is suspended indefinitely, head coach Kit Vela said in a statement released on Friday.

---

Sports

Outlook bad for both Locksley and Utah game

Isaac Avilucea | November 6

Advil claims to be the every pain reliever. Extra-strength, Mike Locksley? Nothing can help Locksley’s head pounding anguish, especially considering the UNM football team’s upcoming schedule, let alone the pending litigation which he will surely be served with in the near future for his involvement in a physical altercation with former wide receivers coach J.B.

---

Sports

One man's take on current U.S. sports

Ryan Tomari | November 6

Below, for your enjoyment, is my take on what’s going on in the sporting world: MLB I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone in Albuquerque call him or herself a “disgruntled sports fan.” I would be a millionaire and give the whole journalism gig up. As a sports reporter, even at the college level, I don’t like to use the old phrase, “I am a fan of so-and-so.” It gets old really fast. Unfortunately for me, it has come to that point. I, a New York Mets fan, didn’t want to see the Phillies advance to and win another World Series, even if it meant the crosstown Evil Empire had to win it all.