Game Book
EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP soccer team battled to a 0-0 tie with Grand Canyon on a windy and rainy Friday evening at University Field. The Miners (8-7-4, 2-7-1) conclude the season with their first winning record since 2019 while building momentum for the future.
UTEP had the better chances throughout the tilt, outshooting the Lopes (8-6-5, 4-4-2) by a count of 17-11, including 6-4 for shots on goal. The best opportunity of the affair for either side belonged to the Orange and Blue with a blast by
Ashlyn Neireiter (10') being headed off the line early in the game.
Savanah Finley was credited with four stops to post her sixth shutout of the season while GCU netminder Emma Knack had five saves.
It was windy throughout all 90 minutes of play while the rain started and intensified in the second half, seemingly going sideways at points. The Miners played through it with a ton of heart, though holding a 10-4 cushion for shots in the second half alone.
Neireiter led the way with two on target followed by one each from
Haylee Lancaster,
Alana Lawless-Felarca,
Zeta McDannels and
Macey Williams. UTEP also earned a trio of corner kicks.
The Miners pressured on the get-go, when
Anai Lopez nailed a shot (3') just wide of the frame. UTEP continued to attack, earning a corner kick that led to the blast (10') from Neireiter that somehow a defender leapt to head it out of harm's way. The clearance failed, which led to another opportunity for the Miners, but Lawless-Felarca's try (10') was turned away by Grand Canyon goalkeeper Emma Knack.
The Lopes went on the offensive for the first time of the contest, but Finley dove to stop the try (17') from Sabrina Guzman. She then stoned Amanda Adams on a point-blank opportunity attempt (23') in the box.
Neireiter was knocking on the door again only to have Knack handle the shot (30'). Finley was called upon in the latter stages of the stanza, collecting the shot (33') by Mai-Helen Nguyen Todnem. Neither squad had much going on down the stretch, keeping the match scoreless through 45 minutes.
Both teams took a bit to adjust to the weather in the second half, with the first shot on goal not coming until the 66th minute. It was from 35+ yards out by the visitors, with Finley easily tracking the skipping shot (67') from Addison Vail.
Macey Williams had a similar idea for UTEP, but hers rocketed through the air (70'), forcing Knack to make a clean catch in heavy rain.
UTEP had its best chance in the second stanza late in the affair, with consecutive tries from McDannels. Knack was able to deny her on the first one (81'). After the Miners won the ball back, she ripped one wide. McDannels had another sail off target (84').
The Orange and Blue turned up the heat in the final three minutes of the match, but one was blocked and the other two were off target as the match concluded nil-nil.
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