After getting two home wins in the last week, the Lobos (7-3-0, 1-1-0) head east to Charlotte (6-2-0, 2-1-0) for the biggest conference match of the season for both sides. The winner of this match will have a great shot at winning the Conference USA regular season title as well as a national seed for the NCAA Tournament. For the Lobos, this is a huge opportunity to get the huge road win that has escaped them so far this year. They have lost three heartbreakers against three nationally-ranked teams, each by the score of 1-0. What was heartbreaking about those three matches is that the Lobos gave up goals in somewhat fluky ways, as the games against Indiana and Notre Dame were each won by a penalty kick, and Kentucky scored on a missed-hit strike that worked wonders. The Lobos are extremely talented and are capable of not just staying with the Charlotte side, but could even outplay them by a good margin. The question will be can they find a goal or two to win the match? Opportunities will be limited in this match, so it is imperative to make the most of any chance that you get. Niko Hansen or Chris Wehan need to do something special to put the Lobos out in front in this match and give the Lobos the huge road win.
Women’s Soccer at Nevada Preview
The Lobos (5-5-2, 1-3-0) continue their road trip this weekend with a two-match swing against the two Nevada teams. First up for the Lobos is a Friday night date with the Nevada Wolf Pack (4-7-0, 1-3-0) in Reno. The Lobos need to win this match, as a loss could put the Lobos in a very tough spot for the conference tournament. The Lobos should be able to win this match, but the Wolf Pack will test the Lobos offense by packing the backline. If the Lobos are able to get an early goal, it could leave the Wolf Pack scrambling and could make this end up being a 3-0 win. The pressure will be on the Lobos until they score a goal, but then all the pressure will be put on the Wolf Pack. It will be important for Claire Lynch and Maddie Irwin to find a goal in the first 55 minutes of the match, or this match could get dicey for the Lobos.
Football vs Boise State Game Preview
Coming off a bounce-back win against San Jose State, the Lobos now turn their attention to their toughest opponent on the schedule: Boise State. The Broncos have gotten off to a good start already this year, going 4-0, and have dreams of making a BCS bowl. On top of that, they’re not thrilled about what happened last year, when the Lobos rudely went into Boise and took away a 31-24 victory. That win was thought to be program defining, but another win against the Broncos this year could have an even greater effect. Hopefully University Stadium will be rocking on Friday night to help them out.
Thoughts on Lobo Football’s Win against SJSU
The Lobos snapped a two-game losing streak this past Saturday with their win against the San Jose Spartans. Even though the Lobos never trailed in the game, it still felt like an up-and-down affair, with the Lobo offense taking advantage of a weak Spartan defense to build leads, but the Lobo defense letting the Spartans get back into the game. Ultimately, the Lobos came away with a 48-41 win to move to 2-2 on the season, including a 1-0 record in conference play, and we came away with a few thoughts:
Men’s Soccer: LMU Match Preview
The Lobos (6-3-0, 1-1-0) take a break from Conference USA play with a non-conference match against LMU (6-4-0) tonight at the UNM Soccer Complex. While this match doesn’t affect the conference championship race, it does have impact on their quest for a national seed for the NCAA Tournament. LMU have a chance to give the Lobos a real challenge and this isn’t a game where the Lobos can just show up and win. It will be interesting to see how the two sides match up against each other, as both teams aren’t offensive powerhouses, but the Lobos are a great defensive team and LMU is a good defensive team. This game will be decided by which team can have players make a great effort in the final third and punch in a goal or two. As is the case with any match against the Lobos this season, the expectation will be a low scoring match unless the Lobos have an offensive explosion.
Women’s Soccer at Fresno State Preview
The Lobos (4-4-2, 0-2-0) return to road action this weekend with two key conference matches against San Jose State (5-2-3, 2-0-0) Friday and Fresno State on Sunday. This is a very important weekend for the Lobos after dropping to home matches to open up conference play last weekend. If the Lobos want to get back into the top tier of the conference, they need to get two results this weekend. The task won’t be easy on Friday, as they take on a very good SJSU squad. If the Lobos want to have a good shot at a win against SJSU, they must play well in the first half and hope they are able to play an even half or even have a lead at the half. The play of Maddie Irwin and Claire Lynch in the attacking third will play a huge part in this match.
Football vs. San Jose State Game Preview
After having an extra week to lick their wounds after a disappointing loss at Rutgers, the Lobos return to action against San Jose State, in what will serve as the conference season opener for both teams. Both teams have had their struggles this year and are undoubtedly looking to start the conference season out on a good note.
Men’s Soccer vs. FIU Preview
The Lobos (5-3-0) return to the 505 tonight for their first home conference match of the season. After dropping a 1-0 match against Kentucky in the conference opener, the Lobos look to take care of FIU (3-4-1, 1-1-0). This won’t be an easy match for the Lobos, but this could have the making of an offensive breakout for them. While FIU has controlled the amount of shots they have given up, they have allowed a goal on almost every 9 shots. I could also see this becoming a match were FIU could get into trouble early with a red card and have to play a man down for most of the match. If this is the case, the Lobos could open the floodgates and make this an ugly game. The Lobo defense really has just one player to stop and should be able to just that. I am very intrigued to see how this match plays out, and I just hope that the Lobos don’t get involved with FIU physical play, but can stick to their own style.
Women’s Soccer at SJSU Preview
The Lobos (4-4-2, 0-2-0) return to road action this weekend with two key conference matches against San Jose State (5-2-3, 2-0-0) Friday and Fresno State on Sunday. This is a very important weekend for the Lobos after dropping to home matches to open up conference play last weekend. If the Lobos want to get back into the top tier of the conference, they need to get two results this weekend. The task won’t be easy on Friday, as they take on a very good SJSU squad. If the Lobos want to have a good shot at a win against SJSU, they must play well in the first half and hope they are able to play an even half or even have a lead at the half. The play of Maddie Irwin and Claire Lynch in the attacking third will play a huge part in this match.
Cross Country Season Preview
Tomorrow, the Lobo cross country teams will see their first real action of the year when they head to South Bend, Indiana for the Notre Dame Invitational. For the women, it will be the first step towards defending a national title, which is still awesome to think about. For the men, it will be the first step towards returning to their rightful place as one of the nation’s top teams. Both teams have a lot of new faces, but are filled with talent, which could lead to another eventful year.