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The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team celebrates after scoring its second goal in the Mountain West championship game against San Diego State on April 17. UNM won 3-2 in overtime. (Jim Thompson/Journal)
Players wearing New Mexico soccer gear have played in the women’s NCAA Tournament before.
It is just that none of the current players have done so.
New Mexico (10-1), was selected to wear its home colors in Tuesday’s tournament opener against Navy (4-4-2), meaning, in theory, UNM is the higher ranked team. The winner meets No. 4 TCU on Friday.
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The Lobos tournament history has been a brief one: 2010, a 3-0 loss at Notre Dame; 2011, 1-0 loss at No. 2 UCLA, all under a previous regime.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. The University of New Mexico women’s soccer team is set to host the San Diego State Aztecs in the final match of the regular season to determine the Spring 2021 MW Champion and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Kickoff is tabbed to take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the UNM Soccer Complex and will be broadcast live on the Mountain West Network.
Mountain Division winner New Mexico owns a 9-1 record heading into the final match of the regular season. With senior Emily Johnson in goal, New Mexico has posted seven shutouts this year. Johnson ranks 14th in the nation in goals-against average (.377). Offensively, the Lobos are paced by senior Gwen Maly, who leads the conference with nine goals and has recorded three assists this season.
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UNM goalkeeper Emily Johnson, shown in action in 2019, has had a lot of success and a lot of help from her Lobo teammates. (Greg Sorber/Journal)
It is fairly traditional that goal scorers get the lion’s share of attention when a soccer team is going well.
And make no mistake, the New Mexico women’s team has some goal scorers. The Lobos have the top two in the Mountain West in Gwen Maly (10 goals) and Alesia Garcia (six), as well as No. 10 Madi Hirschman (three).
But when it comes to defense, the group that protects goalkeeper Emily Johnson is unparalleled. New Mexico (9-1) has allowed three goals all season and has seven shutouts.
Lobos Garner Seven Mountain West Honors, Dyche Named MW Coach of the Year
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. After leading her team to a 9-1 record in the 2020-21 season and earning a spot in the Mountain West Conference Finals tabbed to take place April 17 at the UNM Soccer Complex, The University of New Mexico women’s soccer head coach Heather Dyche has been named the Mountain West Coach of the Year. This is the first Coach of the Year honor for Dyche and the first for the program since 2010.
“Receiving something like that is a reflection of an enormous group of people, and I’m the one that gets the credit, but it really is our entire staff, our entire team, and our entire athletic department,” said head coach Heather Dyche. “I think without any of that, you don’t have success. It’s a huge honor, and I am very appreciative of it, but, without question, I know that it’s a group award.”