In Thursday night’s matchup against Utah State, the Lobos found themselves trailing early and were unable to capitalize on their six shots on goal, resulting in a 2-0 defeat.
Utah State seized an early advantage with a goal in the fourth minute, setting the tone for the match. Despite the early setback, the Lobos had an opportunity to respond in the ninth minute from a free kick. Paris Dalton delivered a precise ball into the box, finding Paige Satterlee, whose deft touch sent the ball towards the goal, only to be thwarted by a solid save from the USU goalkeeper. This effort earned the Lobos a corner kick, but Margaux Clarke’s attempt to find the net from the ensuing scramble was blocked by a vigilant Aggie defender.
Nicole Anderson pressed forward in the 38th minute, creating her shot from the right side of the 18-yard box, directing it towards the bottom right corner, forcing another save by the goalkeeper.
At the end of the first half, UNM had outshot USU 7-5, with both teams registering three shots on goal. The Lobos also maintained the advantage in corner kicks, leading 4-1.
In the 53rd minute, Utah State extended their lead with a goal from distance, as the shot floated just beyond the reach of Lobos’ goalkeeper Alli Davis.
Despite trailing 2-0, the Lobos continued to apply pressure with shots on goal. Paris Dalton tested the goalkeeper from range in the 64th minute, followed by another attempt at the 66-minute mark, forcing the Aggie keeper to make a leaping save. Ellie Robinson added another close-range effort in the 76th minute, but the Aggie goalkeeper managed to deflect it over the crossbar for a corner kick. Robinson’s attempt marked the final shot of the match.
In the second half, UNM once again outshot USU 7-5, leading 3-1 in shots on goal during the final 45 minutes of play.
Overall, the Lobos maintained an edge in total shots (14-10) and shots on goal (6-4). Paris Dalton emerged as the standout player for the Lobos, recording a career-high two shots on target.
With this result, the Lobos’ season record stands at 4-3-4, with a conference record of 1-2-2. They will remain at home for their next match, hosting Boise State on Sunday at 12:30 p.m., which is set to be Club Day for fans.
