NM State Aggies vs UTEP Miners Soccer 9-12-19

Dynamic Alexa Barerra

Last night (9-11-19), I just finished writing up and posting everything from the Borderland Invitational.  (Please forgive any grammatical errors over the last three posts.  I was in a rush and only did one proofreading run.)  So that said, I’m not entirely enthused about writing up another seven recaps right after.  Also, the results of this match disappointed me, making this a lot harder to write.  I also had a headache for the whole event, which strangely went away after the match.

I had the day off and basically did nothing with it.  Ron had the day off too and would be going to this rivalry game with the UTEP Miners with me.  Unfortunately, he arrived late to pick me up and I missed out on the giveaway t-shirts.  That’s okay.  I got one last week and already have a bunch.  There was a crowd around the courtesy table, but we didn’t stop since the referees were already being introduced on field.  I missed out on getting a program and some water until later. 

Right upon walking into the grandstand, there was the beautiful Megan Hart and Kiley Tonge (also very attractive) from the Aggie Volleyball team.  There might have been more, but they were the only ones I saw.  I was a bit startled, but quickly gave them a smile, a wave, and a thumbs up.  I got tentative wave back.  They were caught off guard as well.  The rest of the crowd was a bit sparse.  I was expecting better for a rivalry match, even with the 4:00 Thursday start time.  Much like the other matches this season, it seemed like half the crowd was for the other team.  Tom was there, however and was in full voice cheering for the Aggies.  Ron was thrilled.  The visiting fans were amused.

Before the match, there was a t-shirt toss.  Emerson was there.  She looked hot in her t-shirt and little shorts, and also because it was unpleasantly hot temperature-wise.  She ran past me to hand a giveaway shirt to someone at the top of the stands.  Danny, who was also there, later asked me why I didn’t stop her for one.  Please, I don’t want Megan to see me talking to another attractive woman and get jealous.  Not to mention, Emerson was probably already furious that I’d interacted with Megan.  This is so uncomfortable.  (I’m unmotivated to keep writing this recap.  I’m just trying to have some fun here.)

By the start of the match, Ron was already facedown in his phone playing some kind of addictive farming/resource gathering game.  He was constantly checking on it for the rest of the afternoon and evening.  And I thought my hobbies were a waste of time.     

First Half

UTEP was easy to spot on field in bright orange.  Their keeper was in an even brighter yellow.  The Aggies were in their whites.  Goalie Dmitri Fong was in black long sleeves as usual.  She must have a high tolerance for heat.  (Hopefully, she didn’t see me around Megan or Emerson.  This is getting so awkward.)  On that matter, they were again short on kids at the field, so Aggie Sports Marketing was out shagging balls.  Emerson was on the far side of the field, probably not having fun. 

42’ left in the half, Hannah Leitner went down in a hard collision near the stands.  You could hear that one.  Ouch.  The Miners got off the first attack at 41’.  Dmitri stopped a close shot.  The Aggies came right back.  40’ Hannah took a shot from the center of the UTEP box.  The Miner fans were pretty vocal, especially one lady behind me that was already getting on my nerves.  39’ Hannah took shot on the wing, one-on-one with a defender.  It went just over the goal.

37’ Jody Hernandez took a wild high shot that went over the fence behind the goal.  The ball came right back over the fence.  I think I might have seen some football players walking by there.  At least Emerson didn’t have to go running after it.  36’ Corey Kizer found Shea O’Connor in front of the net.  Shea’s shot went just over.  This led to an Aggie corner kick, but no shot on goal.               

UTEP came back on the attack.  35’ the Miners took a corner shot that went high over the goal.  33’ a UTEP player flopped and got a free kick outside the Aggie box.  Dmitri caught a pretty impressive long shot.  30’ Dmitri stopped a roller.  28’ a good shot by Jackie Soto from the top of the box that was just high.  (I didn’t get her number.  I was hearing a parent behind me call her out.  I found out there’s another Jackie on the team who plays the same position, but I think I got the right one.)  I could hear an hysterical woman screaming across the field.  Oh, it was the first year Miner coach, Kathryn Balogun.  I’d watched an interview with her a couple of weeks ago.  She seemed much more reasonable then.

26’ Shea was fouled at the top of the UTEP box.  The shot off the free kick went wide.  This led to an Aggie corner.  25’ there was a foul on Shea inside the Miner box.  She converted the penalty kick past keeper Emily Parrott.  1-0 Aggies, and that’s what you get for leaning on Shea too much.  I’m pretty sure they singled her out in the game plan.

23’ Emily and Dmitri both picked up shots with players coming up on them.  21’ Jackie (?) took another high shot outside the Aggie box.  20’ hydration break.  By this time the hot sun had mostly gone down behind the stands.  Ron had left to take a call, so I was holding his big umbrella.  I took it down as I got tired of it pulling at my hair.  Back to play, 17’ a UTEP player turned and shot like the crowd always wants.  Dmitri caught it.  On the other end, Emily smothered an attack. 

14’ Eli Gonzalez was subbed in for the Aggies.  Here she made a nice steal.  13’ UTEP got a corner after knocking down an Aggie defender.  11’ Corey made a good defensive stand in the Aggie box.  Dmitri would catch another shot.  9’ UTEP made shot across the Aggie goal, but didn’t have anyone on the other side for the pass.  8’ a ball bounced into the stands and rebounded right back onto the field.  7’ Dmitri fell on the ball in front of an attacker.  She then immediately caught a wing shot right after.  If you don’t like me writing about the Aggie’s attractive goalie all the time, feel free to keep the ball in the opposing team’s end more.    

Tom was shouting out the names of Aggie players to encourage and getting them wrong.  He’d correct himself and keep shouting.  3’ Hannah took a fall and was probably pushed.  No call.  And we went to the half.  The Aggies were up 1-0 with 3 shots on goal and 3 corners, and the Miners with 1 corner and 3 shots on goal.

Halftime

Emerson and the marketing staff had a couple of kids out at midfield for a kicking contest.  Working with the kids for contests seems to be part of the job Emerson likes.  (She’s mostly frowning for the rest of it.)  Representatives of the NMSU Office of Equality (or something like that) stood in front of the stands and called every guy there a rapist (basically).  But then they tossed out some t-shirts, so it was okay.  The PA recognized the Aggie Baseball team, who took up one of the support stands.  They’re not allowed to hang out on the field anymore. 

I went to the courtesy table to get a program and refill of water.  (Ron had briefly come back, gave me a cup of water, and then left again.)  The Office of Equality was set up there distributing condoms for the males who pledged to not rape anyone.  Here’s where it looks like I’m doing some of my trademark “wacky” humor.  That is not the case here.  I’m sure they’d insist that wasn’t what they were doing, but that’s what was going on.  This is beyond parody.

Second Half

Ron returned and settled in for this half after pretty much missing the whole first half, including the goal.  I felt bad that he’d taken the day off to take some phone calls and play a mobile game outside in the heat.  He’d run into an officer from my work somewhere in the crowd.  I was curious why he was there, but I never saw him. 

44’ right off the bat, Dmitri had to push out an attack.  41’ Moe Sais for UTEP took a high shot that just missed the corner of the goal.  (Again, I didn’t write down a player number.  I was going with what I was hearing from Miner fans.)  39’ I think Hannah took yet another dive on the far side of the field after getting pushed.  38’ she was tackled down, which was whistled for a free kick, which was stopped by Emily.  Shea and UTEP’s Lauren Crenshaw got very aggressive with each other in positioning at the top of the box before the kick. 

36’ a UTEP corner went right past the Aggie net as a Miner missed a high kick.  35’ Aggie defender Lece Aviles made a good strip and steal.  Jess McDow also made a steal, but neither could get an attack going.  34’ Hannah was pushed down again.  I’m starting to think it was personal.  33’ Jody made a centering pass that just missed Alexa Barerra in front of the Miner goal.  31’ spitting out a mouthful of grass, Hannah came out for Eli. 

30’ a pass to Lauren just missed in front of an unguarded Dmitri.  29’ Alexa pulled up with a cramp or pulled a hammy by the stands.  The ref asked if she was okay.  She said she was.  During the pause, Alexa and a Miner player shared a laugh.  27’ the Aggies made some good passing, but couldn’t get the ball downfield.  26’ Corey took a wide shot on goal.  A big dragon-shaped cloud passed by in the sky.  My mind may have been drifting here. 

23’ Jess was called for a foul.  The baseball team was unhappy with the call.  22’ UTEP corner, Dmitri punched it out.  20’ Shea made a breakaway on a pass by Jody.  It was broken up.  19’ hydration break.  15’ a good pass from Anna Jimmerson caught Jojo Ngongo running down the middle of the Aggie box for an easy goal.  Dmitri had little chance on that one.  1-1.  

The game started getting chippie at this point.  Coach Baarts was yelling.  13’ Dmitri fell on a shot off a good pass and kick.  9’ Katie Martinez leveled Miner Kam Fisher, who was quite a bit smaller.  Kam yelled at her, but Katie only shrugged.  8’ a UTEP attack was broken up right in front of the Aggie net.  6’ a shot over the Aggie goal.  4’ Dmitri caught a bouncer.  A couple of high shots followed.  2’ Lauren took a crossing shot at the Aggie goal that was just high.  1’ a yellow card was issued to UTEP, but I couldn’t tell who.  There was a free kick outside the Miner box.  Shea took a last second header, but were headed for overtime again.

First Overtime

I’m really starting to hate those words.  It means I’m about to waste ten minutes sitting out in the sun.  The refs wanted this over too.  They started before the clock was set.  8’ Alexa made a crossing pass across the UTEP net, but no one was on the other side.  5’ Alexa was tripped in the UTEP box, but no call.  Shea took a shot that was caught.  Tom was still yelling.  He’s indeflagable.  4’ Jody took a shot high and wide and then fell flat to the ground afterward.  3’ Shea took out Emerson.  Well, what’s her problem with Emerson?  Oh wait, Emerson Kidd on UTEP.  Otherwise, this would have been quite scandalous.  Emerson went down to her knees, but there was no call.  Shea made an attack that was broken up.

Second Overtime

What did we just waste ten minutes for?  Again (8-25-19) ?  And Again (9-8-19)?  Can’t we just do one overtime with three less players for each team and then do penalty kicks if necessary more or less like hockey?  We’d get a winner and it’d take less time.  Why am I not just watching hockey?

The Aggies stayed on the attack.  8’ an Aggie corner.  Then the Miners came back.  5’ Alexa blocked an attack in the box by Bella Benavides.  3’ heartbreak.  There was a scrum in front of the Aggie net.  I was watching the whole play, but it was very confused.  I had to hear it from a UTEP fan right after, read it from the website the next day, and heard an interview with Coach Baarts the day after that.  Jojo Ngongo was credited with the goal and celebrated afterward, but an unnamed Aggie player deflected it in.  Danny said that Dmitri ran off the field immediately after the score. Coach Baarts was not angry and just said that these things happen in those kind of situations.  UTEP won 2-1. 

The Aggie defense held up well, along with Dmitri’s goalkeeping (5 saves on 22 shots).  However, without more offense, wins are going to be very hard to come by.  UTEP had a 7 to 3 advantage in shots on goal.  I hate to think we’re going to have to wait another year to see a team fielded with some more offense.  Worse, I was really hoping the Aggies would win this one.  I wanted to turn around to that annoying UTEP lady behind me and tell her to “Suck on that and my big Aggie ****, you Miner *****!” 

After the match, Megan, Emerson, and Dmitri all got into a hair-pulling catfight.  “Ladies, ladies, please.  Show restraint,” I said while furiously taking pictures.  No.  Actually, I was pretty depressed afterward.  Even a good meal with a free Chick-fil-a sandwich didn’t help.  (Their new mac and cheese is as good as they say.  The ice cream there did make me feel a bit better.) 

I missed everything I was interested in on TV that night.  Fox was randomly showing a baseball game on Thursday instead of Saturday, but I tuned in just after the final out.  Ranger baseball was not on the radio.  I’d missed seeing my little party girls on Chic Music.  The replay was preempted on their alternate station by a Mexican League baseball game. The Juarez Indios won 6-0 over Delicias.  Okay, that’s it.  I can’t take the losing.  I’m done writing Aggie Sports recaps.  Next post, I start writing fanfiction about the women of Aggie Sports: Episode 1, A Naughty Night in the Volleyball Locker Room.