NM State Aggies vs GCU Lopes Soccer 10-23-21

 

I had some choices to make for this Saturday night.  I was offered tickets to the local racetrack at work.  The Braves and the Dodgers were also playing in the National League Championship series.  The game was on cable, but I thought it would probably be carried on a Mexican station over the air.  The Braves were up 3-2, so this was a possible elimination game for the Dodgers.  However, I’d wanted to go see Aggie Soccer under their new lights this season.  Also, there was an impressive sounding giveaway for the game.  I asked Ron if he had a preference, since I was planning on going with him.  He was good either way.  I decided to go with the original plan.

 

We did get dinner beforehand.  I wanted to introduce Ron to the new local restaurant, Legend Burger, at the mall.  We ate back at my apartment so that I could use my bottle of ketchup on it liberally.  (I am a bit of a ketchup fiend.)  Ron made happy noises while eating his burger and kept complimenting it afterward.  I’d call that an endorsement.  He also suggested getting ice cream at PQ Treats for dessert.  I’ve trained him well.  Unfortunately, I got a Crème de Mint flavored Frozen Tornado.  About halfway through it, the mint started getting to me.  It was like eating menthol shaving cream with chocolate chips mixed in.  I wished I had a girlfriend with me, because I had the freshest mouth in town.

 

We got to the Soccer Complex about 45 minutes early.  In the parking lot, there were three tents set up with different groups of tailgaters.  That was a pretty good indication that there was going to be a good crowd.  The ticket tonight was $7.  I can’t quite figure out why it’s $5 sometimes and $7 other times.  Maybe they were hoping to soak some traveling GCU fans at tonight’s game.    

    

Whoa!  And I thought Aggie socks (4-17-21) were the best giveaway ever.  I saw some fans outside wearing the giveaway scarf and was already impressed.  Ron and I got ours after getting inside.  Originally, they’d said it was for the first 75 fans, but increased it to 200 before the game.  There were 200 happy fans there, including myself.  People in the main grandstand, which was already filling up, were wearing theirs.  We were certainly the nattiest-looking group of fans in the WAC.  Some kids had theirs tied up in complicated, but stylish knots.  I was somewhat aggravated that I had no idea how to make that knot.    

 

Inside also were two merch tents.  I’d never seen this before.  There was one run by the college bookstore and another run by a local business, Sports Accessories.  I went back and looked for that Rosie the Riveter-esqe “Guns Up” t-shirt that I’d seen at a previous game.  It wasn’t there.  I’m still not sure if it would look right on a guy, but it did look good.  There were t-shirt tosses into the crowd before each half.

 

Super fan, Tom, came in.  He was carrying a large signpost with him with Aggie signs on it.  It was maybe a little too much like carrying a cross.  Aggie Coach Baarts stood stoically by himself on the Aggie end of the field.  He watched the team warm up by the bench.  Iconic.  He seemed lost in thought.  How heck do we beat GCU?  They’re 12-2-2 and undefeated in conference.  In fact, they’d already beaten the Aggies on their field 6-0 a couple of weeks ago, which was part of three consecutive road losses leading up to this game.  However, the Aggies had a secret weapon tonight: the twelfth man.  The crowd would come into play as a factor. 

 

(Wait, how many players are there on field in soccer?  I don’t know.  You get the twelfth man analogy though, right?)

   

There were clouds over the mountains that were lit up pink and purple with the sunset.  The weather was extremely pleasant for tonight’s game with a cool temperature and no breeze.  It was nice to be out there without getting fried or rained on.  The field was nicely lit, as were the grandstands.  The areas directly north and south of the field were in near complete darkness.  If you wanted to attempt risky sex with your girlfriend behind a tree during a game, this would be the time to try it.  (I don’t know why I was thinking of that.)    

A really good crowd materialized for the game.  GCU did bring a group of fans, too. I didn’t see any of them wearing the Aggie scarves.  I’ve seen out-of-town fans pick up the free swag and posters (especially the kids), but generally not the ones of conference opponents.  The two support stands also held fans.  The south one had a guy with a drum.  This guy needs to be there for every game, because the drum corps did help with the cheering.  Ron also reported from walking around the complex later that there were a large number of kids up in the north corner playing. 

  

First Half

I start with the usual disclaimer that soccer is difficult to transcribe live.  Hopefully, I haven’t gotten too many names and plays misattributed.  The first action of the game started off with Aggie goalie, Makenna Gottschalk, kicking away a Lopes’ attack with 44’ left in the half.  The Aggies came right back.  42’ Loma McNeese was fed the ball twice in two attacks on the GCU goal.  40’ Bianca Chacon (the program makes her name look like Blanca, sorry) took a shot in the GCU box that went wide.  39’ Xitlaly got stripped of the ball in the Aggie box.  (She’s everywhere.)  Makenna had to fall on a shot.

 

We were getting some pretty good action here.  Grace Olson made a strong header shot at midfield.  The crowd applauded her hard head.  38’ the Aggies took a free kick just outside the GCU box.  Here was the first time the crowd got good and loud (and not the last).  Brooke Shultz’s shot went over the crossbar.  34’ Aggie defender Lece Aviles picked the pocket of a Lopes’ attacker.  The crowd cheered her.  GCU had a free kick right after, but it hit the Aggie defense wall.

 

Here was the first real trouble.  27’ a GCU attacker was briefly wide open in the Aggie box.  Immediately, two defenders converged on her and stripped her, but that was close.  The ball got back out to midfield, though not before four girls got knocked to the deck in two different incidents.  This lead to an Aggie corner, but nothing came of it.  25’ a GCU shot hit the scoreboard behind the Aggie goal.  Opposing players seem to take aim at it whether they mean to or not. 

 

24’ after a couple of good passes, Aggie Bianca took a light shot from the goalie’s right that was stopped.  20’ Makenna came out to take a free kick from the Aggie end of the field.  She got it to Loma, who took a shot that missed wide.  The little boy from the last game was back behind the Aggie goal retrieving ball again.  It was too cute.  He could just barely get his arms around the ball. 

 

18’ Grace missed a header that led to a GCU shot on goal.  Makenna took a flying one-handed punch at the ball to deflect it.  The ball would have went right in without that effort.  16’ a GCU attack died in the Aggie box.  15’ a little kid suddenly charged out on to the field with his father running after him.  The crowd got a chuckle.  I wonder what the kid wanted?  14’ Loma took a shot.  The GCU goalie, Jordan Ferguson, fell on it.  13’ the Lopes and the Aggies started sending in subs. 

 

Events quieted down a bit.  7’ an errant shot went into the Aggie bench.  3’ more Aggie subs.  The drum crops picked up in intensity.  Meanwhile, Ron was obsessively checking his phone for updates from the Braves/Dodgers playoff game.  I approve of this, but I did tell him to chill out and enjoy the game in front of him.  Of course, I checked score myself.  It was 4-1 Atlanta in the fourth.  When the PA started the 10-second countdown at the end of the half, a bunch of little kids joined in.     

   

Halftime

We were nil-nil at the half.  The crowd cheered.  Given the competition, this was actually an encouraging development.  So far, the Aggies had 1 listed shot on goal and the Lopes 2.  There was another appearance by the delivery bots.  One of them attempted to take a shot on another one sitting in the goal . . . very slowly.  The PA girl was amused.  The Aggie players were still on field and looked on.  I couldn’t tell what their expressions were from across the field, so I don’t know their opinion of the spectacle.  Coach Baarts chose to instruct the team outside, while the Lopes went to the locker room.  My tongue was still a bit numb from the mint.  Some little girls in the grandstand danced when the PA played YMCA.

 

There was another t-shirt toss right before the second half started.  The Marketing guy gave his last one to a pretty blonde in front.  I’d noticed her and her nice-looking friends earlier.  They’d brought cowbells and cheered enthusiastically.  They seemed familiar, but I didn’t recognize them.  Finally, I realized they were former Aggie Soccer players.  From looking at a picture roster from a couple of years ago after I got home, I think they were Kelly Burton, Jess McDow, and Kyleigh Cox.  Nice of them to come out and support the team.  I got a look at the t-shirt from a little girl wearing one.  It had what looked like a kid’s drawing of Pistol Pete on it.  Kinda cute.

 

Second Half

Lope Renee Sainz ran over the near side of the field before play started.  She smiled and waved to probably family in the crowd.  I’d noticed her earlier.  She worried me because she’d been open in the Aggie box a couple of times.  44’ once again, Makenna had to stop an attack right after the whistle sounded.  43’ there was a GCU free kick outside the Aggie box.  It was a powerful shot.  Makenna had to jump and use two hands to knock it over the net. 

 

With the former players, one of the brought back cans of Pistol Pete’s 1888 Beer, the official beer of the Aggies.  Or is it Coors Light?  Never mind.  This also answered my question as to whether they were serving beer tonight or not.  I don’t think they can serve during day games, so that’s one way to get better crowds at night.  I think they had vendors in the stands for the Lobo game earlier in the season.  They should have had these lights up from the beginning of the program.

 

39’ another Aggie attack.  Loma took a shot that was turned away.  37’ there was a questionable foul call.  The crowd and Coach Baarts were in an uproar.  Honestly, having seen the whole game, the refs seemed to do a pretty good job of staying out of the way and making the right calls.  35’ there was a chip shot pass at the GCU goal.  Xitlaly was just late getting there for an easy tap in. 

 

34’ Makenna had to tip away a shot from a GCU corner.  32’ a dangerous GCU crossing shot forced Makenna to make a dive to stop it.  31’ there were too many close calls in succession to not get a payoff.  A GCU corner resulted in a scrum at the net.  Hannah Edwards kicked it in for a 1-0 Lopes lead.  (I had to get the name from the official game recap.  If you didn’t see the opposing player score, you’re unlikely to hear the PA announcement.) 

 

Now here was the advantage of having a large crowd (with alcohol served) in this situation.  They got louder.  The former players started clanging their cowbells.  Tom piped up even more.  (He’d been going the whole time, of course.  The girls finally noticed him and seemed amused.)  The Aggies went on full attack immediately.  28’ an Aggie free kick ended with Hannah firing one into the side of the Lopes’ goal.  26’ another Aggie free kick led to Mya Hammack kicking a roller that was caught.  24’ the Aggies got a corner kick.  The crowd began banging on the metal stands.  However, the kick resulted in a GCU breakaway.  Lece broke up the counterattack.

 

20’ Hannah led an Aggie breakaway.  The Aggies were all in and this led to a counter that left Makenna pretty much unguarded.  She had to kick the ball out-of-bounds from the attack.  19’ both teams put in subs.  Another Aggie corner had the stands shaking again.  Emma Smith took a shot that went over the GCU net.  Wait.  Hold on a minute.  I have a call.  “Yes.”  It’s Centurylink wanting to confirm my appointment for Monday set for between 9:00am and 7:00pm.  Sure.  (They’d call twice Sunday to reconfirm.  I hope they’re this diligent in actually fixing my phone.) 

 

15’ another Aggie free kick from outside the GCU box.  Brooke took another shot that flew way over the net.  She seemed disappointed, even watching from across the field.  13’ more Aggie subs came in.  Brooke came out and the coach talked to her.  She is a freshman.  I think Corey Kizer is still out from injury from that last home game.  I wonder if Brooke is in for her.  12’ Mya penetrated the GCU box with some great dribbling.  Loma took a pass from Mya and buried one into the top left corner.  1-1 We’re tied!  The Aggies’ offensive intensity paid off.        

 

10’ Emma took a long shot on target that was caught.  9’ GCU came back with a free kick that went over the net.  8’ the Aggies got a free kick.  Loma kicked a weak one that was caught.  6’ more GCU subs.  2’ the drum crops and Tom led the crowd in a cheer.  1’ Ron pointed out the glow of the moon rising over the mountains behind some clouds.  On field, Makenna made a dive stop of a sure game -winner by GCU.  The Aggies launched one more ferocious attack before time expired.  Ron was muttering encouragement to the girls.  I’m not sure if he was really rooting for them, or he just didn’t want overtime or a draw.

 

First Overtime

I suppose it’s a bit of a spoiler saying, “First Overtime.”  (I’ve probably already dropped some hints on the outcome anyway.)  Tom came down and gave one of his handmade signs to one of the former players.  She was very pleased with it, and the girls took selfies with it.  9’ left in the 10 minute period, the Aggies got a corner.  7’ GCU took a shot from the left wing that went way over the goal.  5’ a GCU player hit the deck.  The former Aggie players immediately called it a flop and mercilessly ridiculed her.  (That 1888 beer packs a punch.)  Makenna blocked the resulting free kick.  A follow up shot went wide.  2’ a GCU free kick sailed way out.  1’ Bianca took a shot that was caught.  Loma made another one that just missed.   

 

Second Overtime

The crowd pounded the stands to the beats of I Love It by Icona Pop played by the PA.  It’s like a Women’s sports anthem at NMSU.  The Aggies gathered in an energetic-looking huddle.  I can guess what the coach was saying, “You’ve come this far, why not win it?”  8’ Makenna caught a high bouncer on a long free kick.  5’ the Aggies sent in some subs.  Lots of girls were getting knocked into the ground.  3’ GCU got a free kick on another play that looked like a flop.  An offsides call stopped their attack.  2’ Lece broke up an attack in the Aggie box.

 

The final minute came.  GCU took a corner kick.  Baarts was screaming on the sideline.  The ball was momentarily loose in the box.  Makenna corralled it.  The Aggies counterattacked and rushed the GCU box.  The crowd’s cheering reached a fever pitch. It all happened so fast with everyone standing and jumping.  I saw the ball hit the crossbar and deflect straight down.  GCU goalie Jordan desperately tried to keep the ball from going over the line, but her and ball crossed it.  Aggies win 2-1!  The time on the clock read 14 seconds.

 

All of the girls ran out and dogpiled their hero.  I had no idea who scored the winner until I saw the team Twitter later.  Grace Olson had charged downfield and took a long shot from well outside the GCU box.  Ron said that the ref tried to call a foul before the shot, presumably on GCU, but gave up over the crowd roar after the goal.  I give the fans in general an assist on this goal.  They (we) willed it to happen.           

 

Grace Olson gets the obvious gameball for kicking the winner.  Makenna Gottschalk saved the game several times over with her goaltending.  She was inspired.  GCU probably should have had another easy victory.  I doubt they were intimidated by the fans, but the Aggies, wanting revenge for being humiliated in Phoenix, seemed determined not to lose in front of a large home crowd.  Is this Aggie Soccer’s biggest victory ever?  I’m not enough of an historian to know, but it’s certainly a big one.  

 

After the game, the girls danced out to the stands to salute the fans.  They definitely appreciated the crowd tonight.  Ron then told me he’d heard Mya out on the field at the start of the second half when he was out walking around.  A Lopes player had called an out ball theirs, though it wasn’t.  Mya made a hand sign and said, “Shut it!  Are you the ref?”  Ron appreciated her attitude.  

 

Ron and I checked back to the baseball game.  It was in the ninth with the Braves up 4-2.  We got back to my apartment.  I told him to come in and we’d see if the game was on a Mexican station.  It was and was coming in reasonably well.  We watched the last two outs.  The happy Atlanta fans celebrated getting one step closer to their ultimate revenge on the Commissioner Manfred for taking away the All-Star Game from them.  I didn’t pick the Braves or the Astros to get to this place, so I don’t have a clue who will win. 

 

I missed out going to a live race and an MLB playoff game, but I think I made the right decision.  It was a great game and it was good to be out with a big, enthusiastic crowd.  Not to mention, I got this nifty scarf.  I got to see the elimination of the Dodgers anyway, so it all worked out well.

 

While starting to write this, Aggie Football versus Hawaii came on the radio from Hawaii.  It started at 10:00pm finished a bit after 1:00am.  I was up anyway and listened to the whole thing.  The game actually moved along pretty well.  The boys lost 48-34.  The Aggies tied the game up after being down three touchdowns, but a couple of interceptions run back for touchdowns and a couple of big defensive breakdowns doomed the effort. 

 

I wish I hadn’t missed the pregame.  I would have liked to have heard an interview with AD Moccia.  This week, Conference USA started with 14 members.  By Friday, they were down to five after a wave of defections.  UTEP is still in, but they are 900 miles away from their nearest conference opponent.  There’s some momentary hope that the Aggie Football team might be able to slip back into a conference finally and stop being independent.  We’ll see how this shakes out.