EL PASO, Texas – The surging UTEP soccer team will look to extend its longest unbeaten start to a season in a decade and eighth-best beginning in program history when it plays host to San Diego at 7 p.m. MT Thursday. The Miners (3-0-2) are undefeated through five matches for the first time since 2016 (5-0-2). The Toreros (1-1-2) are on a two-contest unbeaten streak (1-0-1), which includes a victory against ACC member Cal. It is the "Student Appreciation Back-to-School" game, with a pre-contest (while supplies last) tailgate. There will also be a concession deal where individuals receive a free cookie with a purchase.
 
Watch On MW+
Thursday's match vs. San Diego will be available exclusively on MW+. Built to bring fans closer to the action, MW+ serves as the dedicated home for UTEP's live events, original programming and on-demand content. Through its partnership with Kiswe, the Mountain West is introducing an interactive viewing experience designed for Miner Nation that is flexible, accessible and built for scale. MW+ subscriptions are available for $79.99 annually or $10.99 monthly. Fans can become MW+ subscribers and watch the Miners at https://watch.themw.com/utep/soccer-womens.
 
Get To Know San Diego
San Diego, a member of the West Coast Conference, carries a solid 1-1-2 mark into Thursday's tilt. It is currently riding a two-match unbeaten streak. The Toreros bested ACC member Cal (W, 1-0, Aug. 23) before playing to a 1-1 draw last time at Cal Poly (Aug. 27). Their lone loss this year was on the road, 2-0, at No. 9 UCLA on Aug. 20, which halted the school's 10-match nonconference unbeaten streak. Mia Teran and Hannah Faklaris have both found the back of the net this year to set the tone offensively while Chloe Walls has played all 360 minutes in goal. She sports a .824 save percentage (third WCC/73rd NCAA) and a 0.75 GAA (third WCC/75th NCAA), which was aided by a pair of shutouts (second WCC/38th NCAA). USD was 4-7-7 a year ago, which was impacted by a mark of 1-4-2 on the road.
 
Series History With San Diego
Thursday will mark the first meeting between the Miners and the Toreros.
 
Going Back In Time
Freshman Haylee Lancaster (85') came through in the clutch with a brilliant late goal, the first of her career, while Savanah Finley registered a season-high-tying five saves to help keep UTEP undefeated on the year in an exhilarating 1-0 victory at Northern Arizona on Aug. 30. Dannique Wilson set up the game winner for her team-leading third assist of the campaign. That is just one shy of equaling her total from 2025.
 
Clutch Game Winner
Freshman Haylee Lancaster's goal (85') was the latest match winner for the Miners since Mina Rodriguez (87') sent UTEP past LA Tech, 2-1, on Oct. 19, 2024. As far as a road clincher, the Orange and Blue hadn't done so that late since a 2-1 golden goal (107') courtesy of Lauren Crenshaw.
 
Finley Makes History
UTEP sophomore GK Savanah Finley was chosen as the Mountain West Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league office revealed on Aug. 31. It is the first weekly honor for the Miners across all sports as members of the MW and the second such accolade for Finley in her career. She was tabbed the CUSA Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 9, 2025.
 
Standing Alone In The Mountain West
At 3-0-2 on the season, UTEP is the only program in the Mountain West to sport an unblemished record (through Aug. 31). All 10 other members of the league have lost at least one match.
 
Still Unbeaten
UTEP heads into its lone match of the week at 3-0-2 on the year. The Orange and Blue's unblemished mark through five contests is the longest streak to start the season in 10 years (5-0-2) and eighth best in program annals.
 
Lockdown Defense
UTEP has allowed just one goal on the year, which didn't occur during the run of play, but instead on a penalty kick at Tarleton State on Aug. 20. The one tally conceded through five matches is the fewest since 2014 when the Miners also had given up just one. Sophomore GK Savanah Finley has been credited with three clean sheets while Finley and Ava Brandt teamed up for a combined shutout in the 5-0 thrashing of DII program Sul Ross on Aug. 12.
 
Shutout City
UTEP has notched four shutouts over the first five contests of the campaign, something it hadn't achieved in a decade. It is the fifth occasion since the program's inception since 1996 that the Miners have started off a season like that. The Orange and Blue previously pulled that off in 2016, 2014, 2008 and 2006. With the stifling defense, UTEP is just one game shy of equaling last season's total (five) for clean sheets.
 
Zeta Stepping Up
Sophomore Zeta McDannels has picked up her offensive intensity in her second year in the Sun City. She has produced a team-high tying two goals, surpassing her total (one) as a freshman. McDannels paces the squad in both shots (16) and shots on goal (five).
 
Balanced Scoring
Six different Miners have scored in 2026, including a pair each by co-team leaders Zeta McDannels and Ashlyn Neireiter. Both had one tally a year ago.
 
Continuity In The Starting XI
Nine Miners have started every match of the season, affording head coach Gibbs Keeton some much-needed continuity out of the gates. Kialie Hudson and Shawna Larson have earned a starting nod in all four of their matchups, resulting in a very stable look for the Orange and Blue to commence the campaign.
 
In The Rankings
The Miners' strong start to the season has put them among the Mountain West leaders and within the top-100 nationally for multiple categories. Among them are assists per game (2.0-second/56th), goal differential (+8, second/46th), goals against average (.200-first/eighth), points per game (5.6-fifth/95th), save percentage (.944-first/ninth), scoring offense (1.8-second/100th), shots per game (17.4-first/43rd), shots on goal per game (7.8-first/52nd), shutout percentage (.800-first/ninth) and win-lost-tied percentage (.800-first/41st). Individually, Savanah Finley has turned away 94.1 percent of shots on goal (first/15th) for a GAA of .207 (first/15th), aided by a trio of shutouts (first/13th). Dannique Wilson has three total assists (first/36th).
 
Turning Over A New Leaf
UTEP is unbeaten (3-0-2) through five games for the first time in a decade. The Miners' offense (nine goals) is quickly closing in on last year's season sum (13). UTEP has been stifling on defense, yielding just one tally. The strong start has already allowed the Orange and Blue to equal last year's win total (3-9-5).
 
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 36 of the past 39 matches, missing a combined 20 minutes of action since the beginning of 2024. Additionally, she has started every game (56) 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.
 
FIFA 2026 U-20 Women's World Cup Beckons For Mora
UTEP standout Ashlee Mora is slated to represent Mexico at the upcoming 2026 U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland. The event is set to run from Sept. 5-27.
 
31st Season Of UTEP Soccer
The 2026 campaign marks the 31st season in program history, with the Miners sporting an all-time record of 288-239-57.
 
Keeton Era Hits Year Four
The 2026 season will also serve as 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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