Wednesday, October 6, 2021

NM State Aggies vs CBU Lancers Soccer 10-3-21

 


I could sum this whole game up in one sentence, but I get paid by the word here.  (I’m just kidding about getting paid, not about the summary.)  I will sum up why I went to this game in one sentence.  It was raining at Talladega.  I would have stayed home and watched NASCAR otherwise. 

 

Why is it every time I swear off going to any more soccer, I keep coming back?  I have a few more excuses.  I felt I sort of owed it to Tom to go and wear the hat he gave me at the last game.  At Volleyball yesterday, they’d promoted this game by saying that they’d give a Gatorade bottle to the first 75 fans (no problem qualifying for that today) and there was $1 popcorn. 

 

Without the race on, I really had nothing better to do.  I could have gone over to dad’s and watched the Chiefs and/or the Cowboys play, but I doubted he’d want to get lunch and I don’t really care about the NFL.  It was beautiful outside here.  I had no reason not to go.  Indeed, the new roundabout to the university was open and that cut a couple of minutes off my drive there.  (I have no idea if I went around it the correct way.  Thankfully, there was no traffic.)



I questioned my decision soon after entering the gates.  I got my $1 popcorn.  The guy at the concessions complimented my hat, which made me feel good.  (I’d worn it yesterday.  Since the Volleyball team had lost the last time Ron was there at a game, I told him it was either him or the hat that jinxed the team yesterday.)  However at the courtesy table, there was no Gatorade.  The girl there offered me a little personal fan instead.  She seemed kind of embarrassed with the poor exchange.  I took one out of pity.  (I would have rather that they’d put disposable cups out for the barrel of water there.)  [Update: the fan spins hard, but somehow produces no breeze.  I can’t explain this phenomena.]      

 

There was a warm sun, but not hot, so I didn’t use an umbrella.  (Also, there were people sitting right behind me.)  There was a light breeze, which unfortunately spilled some of my popcorn and even blew pieces out of my hand.  I ended up quickly eating the whole thing before the match started and then really needed a drink. 

 

I’d brought a radio with me to listen to the final Chihuahuas game of the season while I was there.  This turned out to be a good idea, since I was there a bit early (and there wasn’t a whole lot of action in the soccer game).  The crowd at the Soccer Complex could be best described as friends and family, assuming most of the players don’t have either.  (It’s an NFL Sunday and the Cowboys were playing.)  Tom was there and asked if I was at the volleyball game yesterday.  He thought it was great game, except for the end.  There’s a real fan for you.  A bunch of t-shirts were tossed to crowd before the game.  I didn’t bother calling for one. 

 

First Half

[Disclaimer: I may have gotten some names wrong on some of the plays.  I was checking jersey numbers with the rosters on the program, but seeing across the field was difficult during the action.  I gave up trying to confirm events with the official summary online.]  41’ left in the half, the Aggies started off the game on the attack, but suffered the first casualty.  Corey Kizer went down hard in the California Baptist box.  The ref immediately stopped play and called for the trainer.  They didn’t even treat her on the field.  They carried her right off.  Bella Garcia came in for her.  She’s the one playing with her arm in a cast.  She’s had two game-winning goals this season including one in a 2-1 win over Seattle U on Friday.

 

38’ CBU began counter attacking.  Mya Hammock rode a Lancer into the ground on her attack run.  37’ more chippie play gave the Aggies a free kick at midfield.  This resulted in Mya firing a slow roller at the CBU goal.  36’ Makenna Gottschalk made her first save in Aggie goal catching a shot.  33’ she had to come out of the box to punch away an attack. 

 

The CBU bench players were all standing during the game.  They were an enthusiastic cheering section for the visitors.  The Aggies were making most of the attacks, but still no shots on goal.  Their reserve players were seated on the bench under the canopy.  Hard to say which strategy was better.  21’ Corey was finally taken away on a cart and off the field.  They were treating her for quite a while.  28’ a wide shot by CBU.  27’ Makenna caught a shot.  25’ at the other end, there was an Aggie corner kick.  A little toddler was there working as a ball kid.  He was pretty good at it, so I wonder if he’s a coach’s kid.  In any case, it was adorable.  23’ a CBU player was hurt in the Aggie box, but she was able to walk off the field with the trainer.

 

I missed the beginning of the Chihuahuas game before I left.  I kind of doubted Tim Hagerty was going to be saying anything really profound when the broadcast started, but I felt dumb for missing it since I knew it was coming on.  In any case, I’d been listening to the game this whole time.  Not much was happening in Oklahoma City either against the OKC Dodgers.  Finally at this point, somebody scored, as the Chihuahuas accidently threw into a Dodgers baserunner, which allowed him to score.  1-0 Dodgers in the fifth inning.  I was mostly listening for updates to MLB games, since there were still playoff races up in the air.  Unfortunately, none of those games would finish while I was listening.

 

“We want a goal!” Tom was yelling and banging on a drum higher up in the stands.  Either he wasn’t cheering as much as usual or I wasn’t hearing him as much with my earbuds in (or I was mentally tuning him out).  19’ CBU attempted a two-header shot on goal, but the second header whiffed.  18’ the Aggies got a great chance on a pass deep in the CBU box, but the header by Blanca Chacon (I think) popped up over the net.  14’ CBU got a corner kick, but it was headed out.  13’ Makenna fielded a long popup shot. 

 

More fans trickled in as the game progressed.  It wasn’t a bad crowd after all.  11’ Makenna made a good catch on a CBU free kick liner.  9’ on a CBU corner, Makeena tipped the shot over the goal.  Back to baseball, the Chihuahuas scored to make it 2-1 OKC in the sixth.  7’ back to soccer, the Aggies bounced one towards the CBU goal where it was caught. 

 

4’ I finally got all of the popcorn out my teeth.  GD!  I think I nearly sprained my tongue trying to get this one fragment out.  This is most significant moment of the game for me personally.  2’ Aggie Khari Price made some good moves getting to the CBU net, but the attack was broken up.  (Always save your best moves for when you’re playing near the stands.)  That was it for half.

 

Halftime

It’s nil-nil.  0-0.  Zero-Zero.  Oh-oh.  I hope this isn’t too deep a statistical analysis.  According to the scoreboard, the Aggies had 1 shot on goal and 2 corners, while the Lancers had 3 SOG and 3 corners.  I think there was a contest on field with some little kids, but I needed to run to the bathroom and missed it. 

 

At baseball, an OKC sac fly had increased their lead to 3-1.  During the coverage, they mentioned that the Miners Football team had won last night to go to 4-1.  However, they were angry that there were only 11,000 fans at the game.  The Aggie Football team had lost on the road at San Jose State, 37-31.  I listened to some of that game.  The Aggies made a furious second half comeback, but just fell short. 

 

On field, CBU had gone to the locker room, while the Aggies remained on field.  Coach Baarts was instructing the team for the whole halftime in a very demonstrative manner.  Some little Pepsi labeled towels were tossed to the crowd right before play started.  A guy who looked like a basketball player almost fell down the grandstand steps trying to get one.  Sun-News headline the next day: Aggie star basketball player injured on soccer field.  Season ruined over souvenir.  This is too like the Women Basketballers yesterday at Volleyball fighting over a little souvenir ball.  Does NMSU put their players up in a kennel when they’re not playing?               

 

Second Half

I apologize for that last paragraph (but not enough to remove it).  This is what happens when there isn’t enough action on the field to report on.  The Aggies mounted a couple of attacks at the start of the half, however CBU got a free kick outside the box that went straight to Makenna.  She had to push it out.  The toddler was still behind the goal and tossed her a new ball.  (It was so cute.) 

 

39’ left in the half, Aggie Loma McNeese made a solo attack that went wide.  38’ Lancer Faith Lee came in on right wing unopposed on the Aggie goal.  Makenna and two defenders scrambled to collapse on her and kick the ball away.  37’ I am suddenly part of the action.  A ball bounced away from a guy working the sidelines and into the stands.  I handed it back to him.  More on him later. 

 

4-1 OKC in the eighth.  I missed a run somewhere.  29’ Thalia Chaverria stripped a Lancer and sent her to the turf.  Xitlaly Hernandez took a shot afterward that went over the CBU goal.  26’ Lancer Cora Jacoby ran Loma into the ground on the Aggie end.  23’ Blanca took a long shot on goal that was caught. 

 

“Go Aggies!”  The sideline ball guy was now yelling some encouragement to the players.  21’ Makenna had to run down a loose ball outside the box and nearly kicked it into the stands.  20’ Amy Kirk in the CBU goal had to do the same, but kicked it into her bench.  These teams were mirroring each other.  19’ Loma made a sweet slide tackle on a CBU defender.  The Aggie offense was starting to get frantic.  17’ CBU almost broke the seal.  A free kick outside the goal hit the crossbar. 

 

Tim Hagerty on radio finally told me what I’ve suspected about the Chihuahuas this season.  They had the lowest home run and hit total in the league this season.  Given where they play their home games, you’d think they’d have to be trying not to hit home runs to be last in that category.  They’ve also got to be at the bottom in pitching.  But at least they didn’t have any positive cold tests this season.  Well, that’s certainly something to be very, very proud of. 

 

13’ Emma Smith got clobbered on the Aggie end, but a CBU player (that I couldn’t identify) got it worse.  I don’t think they injured each other, since they weren’t together.  The other players took a water break.  Emma was able to continue, but the other girl had to be carried off.  No cards were issued.       

 

There was now a little toddler girl in a dress shagging balls behind the Aggie goal.  These little kids are pretty good at it.  12’ Aggie Kaitlynn Melton took a long shot on the CBU goal that was caught.  10’ a CBU player in the Aggie box threw her whole body to deflect a pass at the goal.  Makenna stopped the shot. 

 

The Chihuahuas weren’t done yet.  In the ninth with a hard breeze blowing, two short popups on the infield dropped in for hits.  Unfortunately, both runners were left stranded and the Chihuahuas lost 4-1. 

 

4’ fans got on to the ref for a call in the CBU box that caused a turnover.  This was the only complaint I heard during the match.  The crowd was getting tense anticipating a couple of pointless (pun) overtime periods (or at least I was).  3’ Emma to Megan Ormson for a header that was caught. 

 

2’ Bella found Loma the goalie’s left wing undefended.  Taking the pass, Loma buried one past the diving Amy Kirk for a goal.  There was a bit of a delay on my part in cheering.  Loma was so open, I assumed there’d be a whimsical offisides call.  (The call only seems to exist to keep fans from enjoying the game.)  It stood.  1-0 Aggies.  (Mya also got an assist on the play making it even more amazing that after two passes, Loma was still open.)  CBU made one last attack with under a minute left.  They rushed a corner kick that Makenna pushed out.  Aggies win, 1-0!


 

Little kids stormed the field cheering.  The new hat was not a jinx; it was Ron that caused yesterday’s volleyball loss.  Autographs were announced.  It was good timing for that.  The final stats only had the Aggies with 2 SOG and the Lancers with 4.  CBU sort of dominated the stats, but it never felt like they dominated since they didn’t score.  They only had a couple of real chances.  The Aggies never seemed terribly effective in attacking at all.  Both teams were defending well.  Needless to say, Loma McNeese and Makenna Gottschalk get the gameballs.  One for the shutout and one for ending a shutout.

 

Autographs

I was glad the Soccer team was doing autographs.  I really doubt there’s going to be an autograph session with the Volleyball team.  They don’t even shake hands with the opposing team, so they’re not going to want anything to do the fans.  I loitered at the back of the line without getting in it, because I was waiting for Tim’s season farewell message on the radio.  There were also some players still talking to friends and parents and not ready to sign.  Finally, I had to turn the radio off and get in line before they finished, so I didn’t get to hear Tim’s goodbye.      

 

The ball guy was ahead of me with a friend.  He seemed like an athlete.  He told his friend that he was nervous about getting autographs.  He got over it.  After he went through the line with his poster, he held it up and said, “Hey, $20 for an autographed poster!”

 

Khari Price was first up first.  I wasn’t quite sure about pronouncing her name, but I complemented her moves on field.  She seemed to know what play I was talking about.  Lyric Baker was next to her.  She wasn’t playing and was out of uniform, but I mention her because she was interesting-looking compared to most of the other girls.  (She’s in the picture on the left end, second row.)  Cool name.  I said “Hello,” to Shea O’Connor.  She seemed frustrated.  She didn’t get much in the way of opportunities during the match.

 

Xitlaly Hernandez has enormous eyelashes.  Clearly she wants to look good on field.  As long as she can play good, it’s okay.  I was happy that I got to complement Makeena Gottschalk on her goaltending.  She seemed happy and pleasant.  I get the impression she’s like that win or lose.  Ah, our hero was next.  No doubt Loma McNeese was showered with praise from the fans today.  She got my congratulations and I thanked her from saving us from a nil-nil double overtime match.  (I needlessly said I’d never come back if that ever happened.)  Even watching her on field and especially up close, Loma was either wearing really good foundation or has a tremendously clear complexion.  She was shiny and radiant.



I didn’t get an autograph from Emma Smith, though I was standing by her at the end of the line.  These autograph sessions tend to get disorganized.  Bella Garcia wasn’t there at all (along with a few other girls).  I wanted to gush on her for a moment for her good play the last couple of weeks.  She also looked pretty in her interview on Friday after making the winning shot.  As a practical matter, she might not be able to write with that cast on her arm.  (She’s #5 on the front row next to Makeena #43.)

 

Shamefully, I went to . . . mutter . . . for lunch.  What was that, J?  Ahem, Subway.  I went to Subway.  I’m sorry.  It’s on the way back from the field and they sell ice cream next door at PQ Treats.  At least, it all tasted good.  The NASCAR coverage was still going on, but they’d already announced that the race would be postponed to Monday.  (I didn’t see the race, but given the result I’m questioning watching any more NASCAR this season.)  Okay, so Aggie Soccer has momentarily won me back over.  The rest of their home schedule is at night.  I’d like to see the field at night.  Ron wants to go too, so we’ll have to coordinate something later this month.     

 

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