EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP soccer team is set for a showdown at Hawai'i at 3 p.m. HT/7 p.m. MT Sunday. Both the Miners (8-1-3, 2-1 MW) and Rainbow Wahine (5-4-1, 2-1 MW) have won consecutive contests, which has elevated each of them into a six-way tie for second place in the league standings. The match will be streamed exclusively on MW+ (subscription required).
 
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Last Time Out
Powered by goals from Zeta McDannels (19') and Macey Williams (58') and a season-high six saves by Savanah Finley, UTEP stayed hot by defeating Air Force, 2-1, in front of a rowdy crowd at University Field on Oct. 2. The effort kept the Miners undefeated at home (5-0) while also securing their best start to conference play in six years. It came against a proven Falcons' squad (6-4-1, 1-2 MW), which entered the matchup with the top offense (21 goals) in the Mountain West. McDannels' league-leading seventh goal of the season gave UTEP the early lead, with Dannique Wilson and Kialie Hudson being credited with assists on the play. AFA found the equalizer on a corner kick when Kambree Duker (44') tied the tilt late in the first half. Turnabout was fair play, as Williams hammered home a header of her own on a brilliant ball from Anai Lopez on a UTEP corner 12 minutes into the second stanza. The Orange and Blue did enough the rest of the way to hold on for the victory against a quality opponent.
 
Williams Wins Mountain West Defensive Player Of The Week
UTEP junior Macey Williams was selected as the Mountain West Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Oct. 5. It is the first career weekly honor for the Saint Peter's transfer. She was an impact player on both ends of the pitch, scoring the match winner and defending with vigor while playing all 90 minutes of the match in UTEP's 2-1 triumph over Air Force that propelled the Miners into a tie for second place in the Mountain West standings. She anchored the back line that slowed down the Falcons' prolific attack, which had entered the contest at 2.1 goals per game.
 
Conference Honors Stacking Up
UTEP has claimed four weekly awards from the Mountain West this year. The Miners boast a pair of MW women's soccer Defensive Player of the Week awards (Savanah Finley, Aug. 31, Macey Williams, Oct. 5), an offensive player of the week (Zeta McDannels, Sept. 14) and a freshman of the week (Haylee Lancaster, Sept. 14). The last time UTEP had at least three combined offensive and defensive players of the week within the same season was in 2012 (Tess Hall, Tori Martyn, offensive and Sarah Dilling, defensive). CUSA did not name a freshman of the week, and it selected an offensive, defensive and goalkeeper of the week starting in 2016.
 
Get To Know Hawai'i
Hawai'i started the season at 0-3 with a trio of home setbacks, including two at the expense of power programs, but it has corrected course. The Rainbow Wahine are 5-1-1 since that point, including a stout 4-0-1 in Honolulu during the hot streak, to enter Sunday's matchup with the Miners at 5-4-1 overall and 2-1 within the Mountain West. Hawai'i dropped its league opener at first-place Colorado College, 2-0, on Sept. 24 before bouncing back with a victory at Air Force (2-0, Sept. 27) and a home rout of Nevada (3-0, Oct. 7). It has outscored the opposition, 19-9, aided by shutting out 60.0 percent of its foes (first MW/21st NCAA). The Rainbow Wahine are also among the league leaders and top-100 nationally for assists per game (1.6-third/95th), corner kicks per contest (third/83rd), goal differential (+10, third/82nd), goals against average (0.900-fourth/76th), points per game (5.4-third/86th), save percentage (.804-third/71st), scoring offense (1.9-fourth/84th) and shots per tilt (14.6-fourth/95th). Individually, Anuhea Aluli has been the top threat on offense. She boasts six goals (fourth/83rd), including a trio of match winners (first/29th). She peppers the opposition with 1.6 shots on goal per contest (third/75th). Olivia Dianda (three), Tatum Porter (three), Jas Cayetano (two) and Nalani Damacion (two) also have multiple tallies on the season. Kennedy Justin has thrived in net, boasting a .972 GAA (fourth MW) and a .791 save percentage (third MW). She also has produced five shutouts (second/38th).
 
Series History With Hawai'i
The series is tied, 3-3, with all the meetings occurring when both programs were members of the WAC. Both sides have successfully defended their home pitch in every matchup.
 
A Look At The League Standings
Colorado College sits atop the Mountain West with 10 points (3-0-1), and then there is a logjam with a six-way tie for second place. All those teams have six points, with the list comprised of UTEP (2-1), Wyoming (2-1), Hawai'i (2-1), Air Force (2-2), New Mexico (2-2) and UC Davis (2-2). GCU (1-1-1) and UNLV (1-2-1) follow with four points while San Jose State (1-3, three points) and Nevada (0-3-1, one point) round out the standings.
 
Best Conference Start In Six Years
UTEP sports a winning mark (2-1) in league action through three contests for the first time since 2020 when it also started 2-1. The Miners haven't been above .500 in conference through four contests (2-1-1) in seven years. The last occasion the Orange and Blue started league play at least 3-1 was in 2011 when they won four of their first five tilts.
 
Back-To-Back League Wins
The Miners have won back-to-back games in conference play for the first time since 2019, having bested San Jose State (1-0, Sept. 27) and Air Force (2-1, Oct. 2) in the hot stretch. UTEP hasn't run off three consecutive triumphs in league action in 12 years.
 
On The Road Again
UTEP boasts a 3-1-3 record away from home in 2026 (0-1 in MW), surpassing the total combined road triumphs over the past three seasons combined (two). Furthermore, it is the most road wins in a campaign since 2019 when the Miners went 4-4-2.
 
All About That Offense
UTEP has found the back of the net in eight straight and 11 of the 12 contests this season. The scoring streak is the lengthiest at the school since 2015 (10 in a row). Overall, the Miners have registered 19 goals to go along with 20 assists. That is the most for both of those categories since 2019 (28 goals, 29 helpers).
 
Talking Multi-Goal Games
Following the 2-1 triumph against Air Force (Oct. 2), UTEP marched to 9-2-1 all-time under head coach Gibbs Keeton when scoring at least twice. Both losses came in his first season. UTEP is 5-0 in the situation this year, with the five multi-goal games being the most in a campaign at the school since 2019 (nine).
 
Getting Defensive
The Miners have outscored the opposition, 19-6, aided by six shutouts while holding five other foes to a single goal. Helping its cause has been UTEP outshooting the opposition, 169-125, including a stellar 95-60 cushion during the second half. The Miners currently boast a GAA of 0.58, which would set a school record. UTEP is also one clean sheet shy of moving into a tie for sixth place for a single season (seven, 2019, 2013, 2011, 2004, 2003, 2002).
 
Z Is For Zeta
Zeta McDannels is thriving in her second season with the Orange and Blue. She leads the Mountain West with seven goals (44th NCAA). The midfielder also paces the Orange and Blue in points (14-fourth Mountain West) and shots (30). She also shares the top spot on the team with Haylee Lancaster for shots on goal (12). McDannels' seven scores match the most by a Miner since Lauren Crenshaw also had seven in 2018. The last time a UTEP player surpassed seven goals was 11 years ago with 12 tallies by Angela Cutaia.
 
Something Not Seen Often By A Sophomore
Zeta McDannels' seven goals are the most in a single season by a UTEP sophomore since Brittany Kindzierski went wild with 11 scores in 2010. That also rates tied for seventh among Miner sophomores in program history.
 
Others Scoring Too
While Zeta McDannels has done the most damage with seven goals, she has had help. Five other Miners (Valeria Agudelo, Haylee Lancaster, Anai Lopez, Ashlyn Neireiter and Macey Williams) all sport a pair of tallies. It marks the first time since 2019 (seven) that UTEP has had at least six players contribute multiple goals in the same season.
 
Hitting The Target
Junior Macey Williams (68.8 percent) and freshman Haylee Lancaster (66.7 percent) have been extremely accurate with getting their shots on target. Williams boasts 11 shots on goal among 16 total shots while Lancaster has laced 12 of 18 attempts on frame.
 
Sharing Is Caring
Forward Dannique Wilson enters Sunday's match atop the Mountain West for assists with six (30th NCAA). The effort has easily surpassed her sum (four) from a year ago, and it is the most helpers by a Miner since 2019 (Tessa Carlin, seven and Jojo Ngongo, five).
 
Miners Leading The League In Both Goals And Assists
Miners Zeta McDannels (seven goals-44th NCAA) and Dannique Wilson (six assists, 30th) lead the Mountain West in goals and assists, respectively. There's still plenty of soccer left and things are tight, but the last time the same school in the MW was responsible for both the leading goal scorer and player atop the assist list was in 2018 with then member Boise State accomplishing the feat.
 
Don't Forget About The GK
Sophomore GK Savanah Finley has been sensational as well, topping the conference in goals against average (0.591-33rd NCAA) and save percentage (85.1 percent-28th NCAA) while rating second in the Mountain West for shutouts (five-38th NCAA). She has played almost every minute this season, also placing second in the category (1065:41-60th) in the league.
 
Finley's Moving On Up
Sophomore GK Savanah Finley has registered five shutouts on the year, lifting her career total to nine. That effort already puts her alone in sixth place while she now stands three back of Chandra Morden (12, 2008-11).
 
Winning Close
The Miners have six wins with a one-goal differential this season, showing the ability to close out contests in style. That equals the most such victories in a decade. The last time UTEP enjoyed more triumphs with just a one-tally difference was in 2015 with seven such wins.
 
More Than Double Last Year's Win Total
UTEP's eight victories on the season more than double its win total from 2025. It also is the most in a season for the Miners since 2019 (10-7-3). Making it more impressive is that the Miners have played just five matches at home. In fact, seven of the first 10 tilts were on the road before UTEP went 2-0 on a two-contest homestand. That marked the first time in 24 years that the Orange and Blue had just three of their initial 10 contests at University Field.
 
Shutout City
UTEP has recorded six shutouts on the year. The six clean sheets surpass last season's total (five), and this edition of the Miners is now one shy of cracking the program's single-season top-10 list.
 
Continuity In The Starting XI
Seven Miners have started every match of the season, affording head coach Gibbs Keeton some much-needed continuity out of the gates. Kialie Hudson (11) and Gianna Wilbur (10) have at least 10 starts.
 
In The Rankings
The Miners' strong effort in 2026 has put them among the Mountain West leaders and within the top-100 nationally for multiple categories. Among them are assists per game (1.7-second/82nd), goal differential (+12, second/63rd), goals against average (0.583-first/23rd), save percentage (85.7-first/20th), shutout percentage (.500-third/52nd) and win-lost-tied percentage (.792-first/19th). Individually, Haylee Lancaster, Zeta McDannels and Macey Williams all sport two game-winning goals (third/74th). Dannique Wilson leads the league in assists (six-first/30th) while McDannels does so for goals (seven-first/44th). GK Savanah Finley has been sensational and sits among the leaders for multiple categories, including goalie minutes (1065:41, second/60th), GAA (0.591-first/33rd), save percentage (85.1 percent-first/28th) and shutouts (five-second/38th).
 
Roster Rundown
UTEP has a solid nucleus of returnees in place for 2026. The Miners returned seven starters (GK Savanah Finley, MF Anai Lopez, MF Zeta McDannels, D Ashlee Mora, D Ashlyn Neireiter, D Olivia Roskos and MF Maya Vitoria) and seven others (MF Yesenia Cisneros, F Kaitlyn Duntley, D Avery Easley, MF Cassie Garza, F Ava Grosso, MF Ella Rorabaugh and MF Dannique Wilson) to give it 14 letter winners total in the fold from last year. There are also three players (MF Damaris Cisneros, MF Kialie Hudson and D Sasha Lucero) ready to rock from 2025 who sat out last season. UTEP added 12 newcomers, with five DI transfers (GK Jaylyn Hammond, Grambling State, F Shawna Larson, Sacramento State, MF Alana Lawless-Felarca, East Texas A&M, D Gianna Wilbur, Miami (Ohio) and D Macey Williams, Saint Peter's University), five freshmen (MF Kylie Alvarez, MF Bethlehem Daniel, F Haylee Lancaster, D Nyalah Reeves, D Sophia Tovar) and one each from the JUCO (F Valeria Agudelo) and NAIA (GK Ava Brandt) level.
 
Neireiter Never Comes Off The Pitch
UTEP senior D Ashlyn Neireiter takes fitness to a whole new level. She has gone the full 90 minutes in 43 of the past 45 matches, missing a combined 20 minutes of action since the beginning of 2024. Additionally, she has started every game (63) of her career.
 
A Trio Of Captains
Seniors Kialie Hudson and Ashlyn Neireiter and junior Ashlee Mora will have leadership roles in 2026, with each being named a captain for the team.
 
31st Season Of UTEP Soccer
The 2026 campaign marks the 31st season in program history, with the Miners sporting an all-time record of 293-240-58. That is aided by a record of 8-1-3 on the year.  
 
Keeton Era Hits Year Four
The 2026 season is the fourth at the helm for El Paso native Gibbs Keeton. Buoying the gaffer are assistant coaches Morgan McDougal and Jared Hallman, who are also in their fourth years.      
 

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