EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP soccer team (3-6-1, 0-1-0 CUSA) will begin a three-game homestand with a pair of matches this week, battling preseason favorite Liberty (5-3-3, 0-0-1 CUSA) at 7 p.m. MT Thursday before squaring off with league newcomer Delaware (7-1-2, 0-1-0 CUSA) at 12 p.m. MT Sunday. Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+, in addition to having live stats through Stat Broadcast.
The Lady Flames (No. 4) and Blue Hens (No. 6) are both ranked in the United Soccer Coaches' Top-10 poll for the South Regional.
It is the "Green Game" for Thursday. There will be green chile hot dogs, and UTEP will also celebrate the importance of mental health awareness. The Miners will have their "Alumni Game" on Sunday, where the Orange and Blue will recognize the historic 2005 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Miners trailed, 2-0, at powerhouse Texas with 10 minutes left in regulation before scoring twice to force OT and again in the extra period for the golden goal.
Get To Know Liberty
Conference USA preseason favorite Liberty (5-3-3, 0-0-1 CUSA) played a ridiculous nonconference schedule, challenging four ranked opponents in addition to facing three foes that were reigning conference champions. The Lady Flames are unbeaten (5-0-2) on the year against unranked opposition, including battling CUSA newcomer Missouri State to a scoreless draw last time out on Sept. 19. Liberty tops the conference for several statistical categories, including assists per game (1.91-51st NCAA), shots per game (13.6), shots on goal per game (6.6-88th NCAA), total goals (18-68th NCAA) and total points (57-60th NCAA). Setting the tone offensively is Preseason CUSA Offensive Player of the Year, Ivy Garner. She has tormented the opposition to the tune of six goals (second CUSA/40th NCAA). Preseason CUSA Team member Halle Engle has been credited with a league-tying best four assists (65th NCAA). Garner is extremely accurate with her shot, getting 63.0 percent of them on frame (third CUSA/35th NCAA). Engle (three), Avenley Monteith (two) and Briana Myers (two) also are capable scoring threats with multiple goals on the year. Ainsley Leja has secured the bulk of playing time in net, producing a 68.0 save percentage to go along with a 1.27 GAA.
Series History With Liberty
UTEP and Liberty will be locking up for the third straight season. The Lady Flames have won the first two matchups between the programs, both of which have been decided by one goal. Last year Liberty managed to pick up a 1-0 triumph thanks to a tally in the 88th minute. UTEP was clipped at home, 1-0, in 2023 in the first meeting between the programs.
Get To Know Delaware
First-year CUSA member Delaware has been one of the top programs thus far in the league in 2025. The Blue Hens enter this weekend at 7-1-2, but they did drop their CUSA opener, 2-1, at the hands of FIU. The 7-0-2 start had been the best in program history. The Blue Hens are the top defensive team in the league, posting a team GAA of 0.88 to pace CUSA and rate 66th nationally. They are also among the conference and NCAA leaders for assists per game (1.8-second/71st), fewest fouls per game (7.1-first/49th), goal differential (+10, first/58th), points per contest (5.4-first/82nd), scoring offense (1.8-second/90th), shutout percentage (50.0-first/51st) and win-loss-tie percentage (80.0-first/22nd NCAA). Freshman GK Sophia Hall has been stellar in net, turning away 83.0 percent (third CUSA/64th NCAA) of the shots. She is also in the league and national rankings for shutouts (five-first/15th) and total saves (39-fourth/69th). Maggie Groh and Adiat Olaogun-Dickson pace the team with four goals each, which places them tied for fifth in CUSA. Lilli Lubic and Taisiya Reid each have found the back of the net three times.
Series History With Delaware
Sunday's meeting will be the first between the programs.
Got The Pressure Going Again
Even though the Miners came up short at LA Tech (L, 2-0, 9/19), they did regain their assertive ways offensively. UTEP outshot the Bulldogs, 17-7, including 4-3 for tries on target. The Miners had been outshot in their prior three tilts before getting back on track in that regard against the Bulldogs. UTEP was particularly aggressive in the second stanza, outpacing the home side, 9-2, in shots over that final 45 minutes.
Limited Their Chances
LA Tech was kept to a mere three shots on goal. It marked the fifth time this season that the opposition has fired three tries or less on target in a game, which nearly equals the total such number of contests (six) during the 2024 campaign.
Keep It Out Of The Corner
After yielding a season-most eight corner kicks at Ariona State (9/12), UTEP was much better in that department at LA Tech (9/19). The Miners allowed three corners in the affair, but the Bulldogs were not able to generate even a single shot from them.
Quintero Keeps Coming
Ana Quintero, who paces the team in goals (three) and points), leads CUSA in shots per game (3.9-26th NCAA), while rating second in the league in shots on goal per contest at 1.70 (51st NCAA). She has recorded at least four shots in six different games, including contributing a match-most four last time out at LA Tech (9/19).
Mora Called Back To U-20 Mexico National Team
Ashlee Mora was recently called back to the U-20 Mexico National Team. It marked the third time that she has been invited to train with the squad, all of which have occurred since April 2025.
Youth Movement
UTEP has relied heavily on underclassmen in 2025, with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 57.7 percent (5,141 of 8,910 minutes) of the possible playing time. Four of the top five on the list for most minutes logged are underclassmen. Freshman GK
Savanah Finley has competed in every minute of each match in the frame, while fellow classmate
Zeta McDannels (703-78.8 mpg) and sophomores
Sarina Villa Cuellar (657-73.0 mpg) and
Ana Quintero (653-72.6 mpg) round out the top five. The lone upperclassman on the list is co-captain
Ashlyn Neireiter, who has yet to be subbed out this season.
Finley One Shutout Shy Of UTEP Single-Season Top-10
Freshman standout
Savanah Finley has recorded four clean sheets on the year (tied second CUSA/tied 36th NCAA). She is one short of cracking the school's single-season top-10 list for shutouts. Furthermore, Finley is three shy of equaling the most in a campaign by a Miner freshman GK.
Emily Parrott registered seven as a true freshman in 2019.
Taking All The Minutes
UTEP freshman GK
Savanah Finley has started and played every minute of every match this season. Her 900 minutes logged ties for second in Conference USA among netminders, while also giving her a share of 15th nationally. She has recorded a 1.1 GAA (fifth CUSA) while producing four shutouts (tied second CUSA/36th NCAA). Finley is the first Miner freshman netminder with multiple shutouts in a season since
Emily Parrott (seven, 2019). She also is the initial UTEP freshman GK to start in the opener dating to Parrott's run in 2019.
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 892 out of 900 minutes this year. Furthermore, she has committed only two fouls. The junior has also gotten involved offensively with a game-winning goal on a header against Tarleton State.
Spreading The Wealth For Match Winners
UTEP's three triumphs have come on match winners from three different players (
Eve Barry,
Ashlyn Neireiter and
Ana Quintero).
Unselfish Soccer
UTEP has scored eight goals on nine assists, with every tally this year being set up by at least one player. The nine helpers are the most by the Miners since 2022 (13).
Mina Rodriguez has been credited with two assists to lead the way. She is one shy of matching her personal single-season high (three), achieved both in 2022 and 2024.
Honor Thy Captains
The Miners appointed co-captains for the 2025 season, with defenders
Kaila Hudson and
Ashlyn Neireiter sharing the honors.
Taking Notice Of Ashlyn
Ashlyn Neireiter was voted to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team, the league office revealed on Aug. 7. The junior was tabbed as one of four defenders on the 11-player squad, making her the first Miner to be so distinguished since forward
Vic Bohdan was selected in 2018. She was the lone UTEP player to start every match last season while also topping the squad in in minutes played (1518). That was nearly 400 more minutes earned than the next individual on the team.
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 285-236-50, including 176-78-22 at University Field (elevation of 4,200 feet).
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UTEP Athletics has launched the "915 Campaign" with a goal of signing up 915 members by September 15. Fans can support the Miners by contributing as little as $9.15 per month to UTEP's Talent Acquisition Fund (TAF), which directly impacts the success of UTEP student-athletes.
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