NM State Aggies vs UTEP Miners Soccer 9-1-22

 

You wouldn’t often hear a coach gush after a road trip where the team went 0-2-1, but Coach Baarts had a reason to.  The team’s two losses were to Oregon and Texas A&M and they only gave up two goals apiece to them.  That loss to A&M was even more remarkable, because NMSU was playing in front of 6,000 fans!  Playing in front of 1,000 fans at Cal St. Fullerton for a tie would have been a big deal, but that A&M game must have been mind-blowing.  The Aggies did manage to score in the 2-1 loss, so they were hanging with them. 

 

I took the night off from work for this match.  Unlike last time (8-16-22), this time I was caught up on work and could leave in reasonably good spirits.  Ron was coming along.  I’d bought the Aggie Country Pass, but still bought his ticket.  The weather was great.  The temperature was perfect with just a bit of a cool breeze.  We had a nice meal at Chik-fil-a beforehand.  It’d been too long since we’d been there.

 

A good crowd was already forming at the Soccer Field.  We pulled in next to a group of tailgaters.  I try not to leer, but boy I did I see a very pretty blonde going into the stadium after we arrived.  Ron missed seeing her at the time.  She was a former player, since she was with another former player, but I couldn’t positively identify her.  One of the current players was also very eye-catching with lush platinum blonde hair out on field warming up.  I wasn’t sure who that was either.  How did I miss her before? 

 It's an Aggie Band picture, though not the one performing at the game.

Some of the Band was present by one of the side bleachers.  The Baseball team came in and walked by.  They settled on the hill on the north end of the field.  The PA repeatedly warned everyone to stay off the field.  That mostly applied to them.  (There were a bunch of other fans up on the hill.)  The PA announced a deal for the season: if the Aggies scored two goals, you could get a free meal at Raising Canes.  There’s another reason to come to the games. 

 

A group of girls came in and sat in front of us.  One of them looked really familiar.  I was thinking they might be some of the Women’s Basketball team, but if they were, they were pretty short for that sport.  Maybe it wasn’t them.  One thing there wasn’t was UTEP fans for this rivalry game.  I didn’t see or hear any.  The stands were full (500+ attendance).  New Mexico Highlands (8-13-22) brought plenty of fans and they’re nowhere near Las Cruces.  It’s a mystery.  UTEP fans will show up here for other sports.

 

For the Anthem, four UTEP players decided to take a knee, including their goalie.  I don’t appreciate having to make moral, ethical, and political choices in rooting at sporting events.  I don’t even know what they’re protesting, but you wanted to be noticed, so here you go.  UTEP’s Women’s Basketball team wouldn’t come out for the Anthem the last time I saw them (12-15-21).  What is wrong with UTEP and their female athletes?  Maybe this is why their fans aren’t here; they’re embarrassed.     

 

The Football team was also playing tonight at the same time in Minnesota.  AD Mario Moccia was repeatedly apologizing for the game.  They weren’t getting paid a lot of money to go for this, but had a contractual obligation.  They’d made some bad deals when the school was without a conference.  Ron and I were listening to the game while there at the soccer match.  We’ll go ahead and give the result here, 38-0 Minnesota.

 

Once again, the Aggie defense was reasonable in not giving up big plays and not giving up anything in the fourth quarter against probably the second string.  Offensively, the team couldn’t move the ball.  They’re still using two quarterbacks.  QB Diego Pavia was the team’s leading rusher and Gavin Frakes threw an interception, which was the only turnover.  (Pavia would have had one too, but it was overturned on review.) Nothing’s been decided for the position.  Bring on UTEP next.  Hopefully, we can put them on their knees.

 

First Half

At that the end of that post about the NM Highlands game, I did say that the Aggies would win this match.  I really thought that at the time.  What I did not predict was a dominating performance by the Aggies.  Though I took a bunch of notes, I don’t think they’re worthwhile or necessary for this recap.  (In the Highlands match, I still had to track all of the goals, even if that game was less competitive.)  I’ll hit some highlights.

 

First up, Super-fan Tom was back.  He’d hadn’t been at any of the previous events.  Tom was in full voice.  The ladies in front of us kept turning around and giggling at his cheering.  Meanwhile, the Band started playing throughout the match.  It definitely added to the “Big Game” feel.  They should get these guys for every home game.  (That’s not going to happen unfortunately.)  There was also a group of kids present that would randomly break into an Aggie cheer.

 

The Aggies set the tone early with an obvious knockdown by defender, Landy Williams, right after the match started.  41’ left in the first half, Sofia Beerworth kicked it to the front of the Miner net.  Xitlaly Hernandez, one of the shortest players on the field for either team, headed the pass right into the goal, her magnificent hair waving (as pictured at the top).  1-0 Aggies, just like that.  The rest of this match would not be “Just like that.”

 

For UTEP, they had no shots for the entire half.  Right after the goal, there were a couple of attacks and loose balls in the Aggie box, but Makenna Gottschalk fell on them.  That was it for the Miners’ offense for the half mostly.  A ball did fly into the stands, startling the ladies in front of us.  You don’t expect that at a soccer match. 

 

It wasn’t just Tom cheering.  The crowd was into it, as well.  They cheered on a UTEP breakaway attack that was kicked away.  The crowd groaned and applauded on Aggie attacks that didn’t score.  The Baseball team was letting out a roar whenever there was a goalie kick.  (It also looked like they arranged themselves into an “A” at one point.)  Later, they were in an uproar over an out-of-bounds tackle that happened before the end of the half.

 

Otherwise, the ball was mostly in the UTEP end with the Aggies attacking the net, but just not connecting.  There was a whiff kick, a missed header, and shots going wide or high.  18’ there was a particularly fierce attack in front of the net.  I was sure I saw a handball, but no call.  Our score at the half was still 1-0 Aggies.  So, it was a tight game, but it felt like the Aggies were crushing them.  Typical soccer, I guess.

 

Halftime

This was treat.  The Band came out and played for the halftime show.  The brass section (with tubas) played first, then the percussion came out for a performance.  These guys were working hard, but they looked like they were having a good time.  At the end of the show, the Band Director high-five’d some kids who had been watching at the rail of the grandstand. 

 

There was a group of young men in snappy black polo shirts at the game.  I finally got close enough to read a patch on a sleeve.  They were the UDA Soccer team.  They were affiliated with the university, so they are Men’s club team.  Meanwhile, a parent had to corral a toddler who’d run out on the field.  That happens every game.

 

Second Half

The Aggies continued the attack to start the half.  The UTEP goalie had to come out to stop one attack, slapped out another, fell on a ball during a scrum, and caught another shot.  36’ left in the half, Loma had a point blank shot, the goalie caught it.  The crowd groaned. 

 

34’ Makenna got her first real action as she caught a shot.  That was UTEP’s first shot on goal.  Sofia also got leveled on the play.  In the next minute, Jena Johannes was hurt on a play and had to come out. 

 

The Aggies kept up their attacks.  One shot just missed the goalpost.  I was suddenly attacked by a bug trying to fly up my nose.  The kids started up their chant again.  26’ UTEP took their second shot of the game that rolled across the front of the Aggie goal.  23’ Mya Hammack was leveled by Justice Tillotson.  Justice offered to help Mya up, but she wouldn’t take it.  However, they did slap hands afterward, so it was unintentional. 

 

The Aggies took some more empty shots.  20’ Makenna made a lazy pass in the Aggie box that caused a turnover.  Thankfully, nothing came of it, though UTEP did get two corner kicks off the play.  There were four more shots by the Aggies.  14’ Makenna faced two attackers alone, but managed to kick the ball away.  13’ Loma hit the goalpost.  The crowd was in agony by this point. 

 

Finally, 12’ Loma McNeese and Tania Tapia combined for a two-on-one breakaway against the UTEP goalie.  Loma passed to Tania for the easy goal. 2-0 Aggies.  That one made the fans feel better on a couple of levels. 

 

A UTEP player was hurt on field afterward.  She had to come out and received a round of applause.  Both teams took a quick water break during the delay.  Aggies came back on the attack.  Xitlaly made a great pass to Mya for a shot at 6’.  5’ Sofia made a great solo running attack and beat the goalie to ice the game, 3-0 Aggies.  The Aggies stayed on the attack for the remainder of the game.  Landy made a great defensive effort in the last minute on a one-player breakaway.  The whistle blew on the I-10 Rivalry as the crowd finished the 10-second countdown.  Aggies win 3-0!

 

My player of the game is the whole Aggie team.  This was a team effort tonight.  Just looking at the stats, they were 7 to 1 for Shots on Goal and 19 shots to 2.  That’s a great offensive and defensive effort.  In an interview afterward, Coach Baarts was angry that UTEP got any shots off.  I’ll also note the UTEP goalie, Mariah Scott, for something other than taking a knee.  She likely kept them from losing by double-digits. 

 

The Aggies came out and gave a happy wave to the crowd afterward.  I’m starting to believe we may get a winning season out of this.  This was worth the extra work the next day.  Ron, meanwhile, was in line for some free Raising Canes for that two-goal performance.  He heard the announcement better than I did.  There wasn’t a coupon handed out; you just needed a ticket, which I didn’t have.  Argh!  That’s okay.