Year 3 of the Heather Dyche era (coincidently, also our third year) begins this weekend, as they host the Lobo Invitational. Last year was a success, as even though the Lobos (9-7-3, 5-5-1) didn’t make the MW Tournament (which only consists of the top six teams), the Lobos beat 3 of the top 4 teams last year and went 3-2-1 against the teams that made the tournament. The Lobos will be picked lower than they probably should be in the conference, but I think there are plenty of reasons for the Lobos to soar above the expectations. This season should be a great season for the Lobo program and could be the year that Dyche’s plan takes the huge leap from idea to reality.

Key Returnees:

During their exhibition match against CSU-Pueblo on Tuesday, the Lobos started 7 seniors, 2 juniors and 2 sophomores. This included sophomore goalie Emily Johnson getting the start, with last year’s starter, senior Tayler Hammack, not seeing action. Here is a look at some of the key returning players for the Lobos this season:

• Claire Lynch (Sr.): The leading goal scorer for the Lobos last year is back for her senior season. After scoring 8 goals last year, I look for Lynch to have a senior celebration this year, leading the Lobo attack with plenty of goals.
• Emily Chavez (Sr.): One of the leaders on the team, Chavez will help anchor the backline. In reality, her play could dictate how well the Lobos’ defense performs this season. If Chavez is able to control the middle of the defensive line the way that we think she can, the Lobos could have a special season.
• Jennifer Munoz (Jr.): After missing a couple of matches last season, Munoz will shift gears a bit and be a creator in the midfield, while potentially also seeing some time in the attacking spots upfront. Munoz is a huge chess piece for Dyche and the coaching staff and I expect Munoz to fill several roles this season, even within single matches.
• Alexa Calbrales (Sr.): Calbrales will once again be a key part in the Lobos backline, and the Lobos’ offense. Her ability to make runs helps in the attack, shown by her team-leading 3 assists last season. She will need to control the attacks from the sides, but she should have a fantastic senior season and help the Lobo defense to be great this year.
• Ashley Ballantyne (Sr.): Another senior on the backline for the Lobos, Ballantyne has played multiple years with fellow defenders Chavez and Calbrales, so communication should be great with the backline.

New Players To Watch:

While it will be difficult to see how much impact the freshman class will have on this year’s roster, there are a few players that caught my eye during the exhibition match:

• Jessica Nelson (Jr.): Nelson transferred in from her hometown University of Arizona and will be a key cog for the Lobos in the backline. Her throw-ins alone will cause problems for the opposing defense, and could lead to plenty of chances for the Lobo attack.
• Leilani Baker (Fr.) and Alexa Kirton (Fr.): Baker and Kirton are two first-year players that could end up seeing an extended role if they are able to find chances and goals in their action up top. It wouldn’t surprise me if one of these two ends up starting and the other becomes the fresh legs off the bench.

Keys to Success:

There are many things that will lead to success for the Lobos this season, but here are a few that I believe will lead the Lobos to a great season:

• The Lobos will have a lot of experience in the back, which should take some pressure off the attacking players. If the starting backline is able to stay healthy this season, we could be looking at great numbers on the defensive side of the ball.
• Experience will play a huge role on this team, as the starting 11 seems to be pretty set at the beginning of the season with players that have played a lot of minutes together. The Lobos did battle against some very talented teams the last few years and went toe to toe against top 10 teams. Those experiences could pay dividends this year.
• Two other players will need to assert themselves in the offensive attack to help support Claire Lynch. If the Lobos are able to get a combined 22 goals from Lynch and two other players, the Lobos will have a great season.

Home Matches?

The road warriors from last season will get to play 10 home matches this season, including six home matches in MW play compared to five on the road. The Lobos played better on the road last season, but I expect them to be much better at home this season. If they are able to keep their road success up, they’ll be fighting for a top spot in the conference.

Matches to Watch:

These are that matches that I would make sure to watch.

• Portland (In Seattle) 9/1
• AT Washington 9/2
• Houston 9/15
• UNLV 9/22
• AT Boise State 9/29
• AT Utah State 10/1
• Fresno State 10/6
• SJSU 10/8
• Wyoming 10/22
• SDSU 10/27