EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP soccer team (3-9-4, 0-4-3 CUSA) will challenge I-10 rival NM State (2-12-3, 1-3-3 CUSA) on "Senior Night" at 7 p.m. MT Saturday. It will also be the "Sun City" game, which will celebrate El Paso in a way past promotions like the "915 Game" or "El Chuco Night" have done. There will be a mariachi band on site and items such as papas locas, chicharrones and margaritas will be on sale. Furthermore, Eve Barry, Alaina Gilbert, Kaila Hudson, Hayden McMillan and Mina Rodriguez will all be honored in a post-match ceremony as part of "Senior Night."
 
The contest will stream on ESPN+ in addition to having live stats through Stat Broadcast.
 
Tickets may be purchased for only $10 by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing tickets@utep.edu, visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets or going in person at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building, UTEP Campus), Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gates at University Field open one hour prior to kickoff, where fans may buy tickets on site.
 
Get To Know NM State
NM State is 2-12-3 on the year, including 1-3-3 in CUSA action. The Aggies have six points in CUSA action, putting them ninth in the league standings. They are just two points back of eighth-place Missouri State, meaning they are still mathematically alive to qualify for the CUSA Championships. NM State had a brutal nonconference slate with matchups against five power programs. They knocked off ACU, 1-0, on Aug. 17, and more recently, bounced Middle Tennessee, 2-1, on the road on Oct. 16, for their second triumph of the campaign. NM State does the best job of any team in CUSA in getting its shots on target, with a 51.1 percent (70-137) shot accuracy (32nd NCAA). It, however, is 12th in the league and 328th in the nation for shots per game (8.06). Valerie Guha has been busy in net, checking in second in CUSA and just outside the top 100 (105th) in the country for total saves (62). Meredith Scott (three), Amaya Simoni-Walters (two) and Ariana Leamons (two) all have multiple goals to set the tone offensively for the Aggies. In fact, that trio has accounted for more than half (seven of 13) of NM State's goals on the season. Simoni-Walters also has a squad-high four assists.
 
Series History With NM State
UTEP is 10-3-1 all-time against NM State, including rallying back for a 2-2 tie last year on the road on Oct. 31. The Miners won six straight and 10 of the first 11 meetings since the series began in 2009. The Aggies, however, have enjoyed a solid run of late, standing 2-0-1 in the past three years.
 
Aiming To Finish Strong At Home
A victory against the Aggies would let the Miners conclude the campaign with a home record of 3-3-2. That would mark the second straight season with a winning percentage of at least .500 at University Field (elevation 4,200 feet). Last year, UTEP was 4-3 in the Sun City. The Orange and Blue haven't produced back-to-back such records in El Paso since a three-year run (2018-20).  
 
Showed Out Against The Best
Both Liberty (5-0-2) and WKU (5-0-2) are undefeated in CUSA play and sit tied atop the league standings, but the Miners had positive results against each of them. UTEP secured ties against both the Lady Flames (1-1, 9/25) and Toppers (1-1, 10/16), and the Orange and Blue were very close to picking up victories each of those matches. UTEP conceded the equalizer vs. Liberty with 80 seconds left. It was even more harrowing in the draw at WKU where the home side pulled even with only 11 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
Zeta Finds The Back Of The Net
Freshman Zeta McDannels has turned in a solid first year at the collegiate level, but her best moment yet came in the 1-1 tie at co-league leader WKU on Oct. 16. She scored her first career goal, on a diving header no less, to put the Miners up, 1-0, with less than four minutes to play. The Toppers tied it with 11 seconds left, but it didn't take away from the special moment by the Lubbock, Texas, native. Overall, McDannels is second on the squad for shots (28) and shots on goal (10) while sharing fourth in points (three).
 
Slowing Down The Top Offenses In CUSA
Liberty (1.88-67th NCAA) and WKU (1.87-75th NCAA) boast the top two scoring offenses in CUSA, but the Miners made it difficult for both in their respective matches. UTEP kept the Lady Flames off the board for the first 88 minutes and 40 seconds before finally allowing a goal in the eventual 1-1 tie. It was even closer to a clean sheet at WKU on Oct. 16. The Toppers were stymied all night long by Sophia Dean, who even stopped a PK, before they managed to tickle the twine with only 11 seconds left in the 1-1 draw.
 
What A Debut For Dean
East Texas A&M transfer Sophia Dean made her UTEP debut while earning the start at co-league leading WKU on Oct. 16, and she was more than up to the task. The redshirt-sophomore delivered a career-high nine saves, including turning away a penalty kick, in a dazzling display. The nine stops eclipsed her prior high of eight, which came at North Texas (8/27/23) while competing with the Lions.
 
Most Assists By A Miner In Six Years
JUCO transfer Dannique Wilson was credited with the assist on the goal by Zeta McDannels at WKU on Oct. 16. It marked her team-best fourth helper of the season, three of which have come during CUSA play. It is also the first time since 2019 that a Miner had more than three assists on the season. That year both Tessa Carlin (seven) and Jojo Ngongo (five) achieved the feat.
 
Defending Without Fouling
UTEP has been strong on defense all year long, especially against the top-tier programs in CUSA. What has made those efforts even more impressive is that the Orange and Blue have been able to be physical yet limit their fouls. They have been hit with 8.0 fouls per contest, which is third in CUSA and 94th in the nation.
 
Shots A Plenty
Despite being outshot in the past two tilts, UTEP holds advantages for both shots (208-182) and shots on goal (87-79) this season. Overall, the Miners are third in CUSA for shots per game (13.0) and fifth for shots on goal per tilt (5.44). Anita Quintero has certainly helped all year long in that area, rating among the league and national leaders for both categories. She produces 3.56 shots per game (first/41st) and 1.5 shots on goal per contest (third/78th).
 
Get Multiple Goals And We're Pretty, Pretty Good
Dating to the start of last season, the Miners stand a stout 4-0-2 when scoring at least two goals in a contest. UTEP is 1-0-1 in the situation this season, having drilled Texas Southern, 4-0, on Aug. 17 before rallying to pick up a point against Kennesaw State with two second-half goals in a 2-2 draw on Oct. 4.
 
Mora Back From Camp U-20 Mexico National Team
Ashlee Mora had her third call-up to the U-20 Mexico National Team prior to the Miners' match at Arizona State (9/12). She missed that contest as result but has since returned to the Orange and Blue. All three of Mora's invitations to train with the squad have occurred since April 2025.
 
Defending Cleanly
Co-captain Ashlyn Neireiter, who has started every match on the back line for UTEP, is incredibly durable. She has played a possible 1432 out of 1440 minutes this year. Furthermore, she has committed only three fouls. The junior has also gotten involved offensively with a game-winning goal on a header against Tarleton State (8/28). Overall, on offense she has taken nine shots, five of which have been on target.
 
Unselfish Soccer
UTEP has scored 13 goals on 15 assists, with every tally this year being set up by at least one player. The 15 helpers are the most by the Miners since 2021 (18). Dannique Wilson sets the tone with a team-best four while Ashlee Mora, Mina Rodriguez and Olivia Roskos have two each. It has been three years since the Orange and Blue last finished with more assists than goals in a campaign.
 
Honor Thy Captains
The Miners appointed co-captains for the 2025 season, with defenders Kaila Hudson and Ashlyn Neireiter sharing the honors.
 
Double Trouble
UTEP has two sets of twins on the 2025 roster (freshmen Damaris Cisneros and Yesenia Cisneros and seniors Kaila Hudson and Kialie Hudson), in addition to three other individuals with twin sisters (junior Eve Barry, freshman Ava Grosso and sophomore Sarina Villa Cuellar).
 
30th Season Of UTEP Soccer
The 2025 campaign marks the 30th season in program history. The Miners boast an all-time record of 285-239-53, including 176-79-24 at University Field (elevation of 4,200 feet).
 

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