Game Book
EL PASO, Texas – Following a lengthy weather delay caused by lightning, the UTEP soccer team was upended by New Mexico, 2-0, at University Field Saturday evening.
The Lobos (8-4-3, 5-2-1 MW) carried a 1-0 lead into halftime on a PK goal from Presley Devey (39').
Savanah Finley saved the initial try, but the official ruled that she had left her line early. Devey then buried it on the retake. Nicole Anderson (67') tacked on an insurance tally for the visitors, but the Miners (8-5-3, 2-5-0) battled to the final whistle.
Finley finished with six saves while UNM's Alyson Campbell registered a pair of stops for the clean sheet. UTEP piled up 13 shots and earned a pair of corners. There were 17 fouls in the affair, including 11 against the home side.
The Miners did well to fend off a corner kick (6') by the visitors, with
Dannique Wilson heading away the service. UTEP then looked to get its offense in gear, but a through ball (10') had too much pace on it. The Miners' defense kept its shape to catch UNM offside (17') before trying to get back on the attack.
Anai Lopez won a ball in space, but her shot (22') was fired over the frame.
Finley easily corralled a try (25') by Anderson, following it all the way into her body. It was a much tougher stop a couple minutes later with a shot that went through traffic being screened. She saw it at the last second to punch the blistering blast (33') from Anderson wide. UTEP fought off the corner and was back on the offensive quickly.
Zeta McDannels rocketed (35') it over the crossbar.
After UNM worked the ball up the pitch and into the area, a sliding tackle from
Valeria Agudelo blocked a shot (38') by Celina Frenz. New Mexico challenged the play and won a PK after the VAR decision determined it struck Agudelo's arm. Finley then stepped up to make the potentially game-altering save only to have it wiped out of the books. Given new life, Devey capitalized to put her squad in front.
The Miners had one final look in the frame when
Macey Williams' shot (44') was blocked.
UTEP came out energized to start the second half, registering three shots in a three-minute span. McDannels had a shot (47') that was blocked. Lopez then misfired twice, narrowly high and left on the first try (48') and a little further wide on the second attempt (49').
A low hard shot (53') by Mia Barela was no issue for Finley, who had settled into a groove. UTEP was instantly back on the attack, but the header (54') by
Ava Grosso was over the goal. Lopez hit a shot (62') that took a single bounce before being stopped by Campbell.
A long ball into space by Alysa Whelchel was controlled by Anderson, who rifled (67') it past Finley on a semi breakaway.
UTEP regrouped immediately by garnering consecutive corner kicks, but nothing came of it. Finley kept racking up saves at the other end to keep her squad within striking distance, but it wasn't to be. The Miners had one more solid look (77') when Wilson was stoned by Campbell.
The Miners will look to put the setback behind them and find the win column again when they open a two-game roadswing at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT Wednesday at Nevada. UTEP will then play its final road contest of the regular season at 1 p.m. PT/2 p.m. MT at UC Davis on Nov. 1.
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