The Lobo Women’s soccer team looks to build on year one of the Heather Dyche era, where they finished 10-8-2 overall and 7-3-1 in Mountain West play. One of the more surprising things from last year was how much they struggled at the Lobo Soccer Complex, where they went 3-5-0, but they showed great resolve on the road, where they finished 6-3-1, including an unbeaten 5-0-1 in conference play. It will be important for the Lobos to continue the great play on the road and find a way to play better at home if they’re going to build on last year’s successes. To that point, the Lobos will only play one non-Conference home game against NMSU, meaning the Lobos will be on the road for the first month of the season, including games at Texas Tech and California. The Lobos need to keep their head afloat in that first month and find their top form in time for the conference tournament.

Season Outlook:

The Lobos return plenty of players that made an impact on the team last year, and they will all be asked to take a step forward. Especially given that the team lost their top two goal scorers and their goalie that played all but 56 minutes last year. There are plenty of things that stand out for what the Lobos must continue to do, and also what they can build on:

• The Lobos were fantastic in the second half of games, outscoring their opponents 15 to 9 in those periods.
• They showed a consistent offensive attack, having 131 shots in the first half of games and 133 in the second half of games. The same holds true for corner kicks, as the Lobos had 49 in the first half of games and 50 in the second half.
• Lobos had a balanced scoring attack last year, having five players with at least 3 goals. The Lobos return 3 of those players, with Claire Lynch as the leading returning goal scorer with 5 goals.
• The Lobos will need to find their new starting goalie, and the sooner the better. In their exhibition match against ENMU, the Lobos split time evenly between all four goalies on roster.
• While having a balanced attack is key, the Lobos could really use a goal scorer or two to approach double digit goals this year to draw the defense’s attention and open up opportunities for others.

Schedule:

The Lobos have a very interesting schedule this season, where they only play one non-conference home game, which is against in-state rival NMSU. The Lobos open against two teams that have spent time in the top 25 in the recent past, in Texas Tech and California, so they’ll have to hit the ground running. Plus, not only do they spend a lot of time on the road, the Lobos will have just two home stands this season, with each being three games. The Lobos will play Colorado College, Air Force, Utah State, Boise State and Wyoming at home in Conference, while playing SJSU, Fresno State, Nevada, UNLV, CSU and SDSU on the road.

Players to Watch:

• Emily Chavez led the Lobos in minutes played last year on back line and pitched in 2 assists. Chavez will again be a key part of the Lobo defense and should provide leadership to the Lobo squad.
• Clair Lynch leads the returning Lobos with 5 goals last season, will she be asked to expand her role in the Lobo attack this season.
• Maddie Irwin will be an anchor for the Lobos this season, playing both midfield and defense. Irwin will also provide some offense, as shown with her 3 goals last season.
• Ruth Bruciaga was a good playmaker for the Lobos last season, with 2 goals and 2 assists, and will look to expand her impact on the Lobo attack.
• Quincy Slora leads Lobo returners with 3 assists last season, on top of the 3 goals she scored on the campaign. I could see Slora double her production in the Lobo attack this season.

Expectation:

Expectations are always tough for the Lobo women’s soccer program, but I think the baseline expectation is to be in the conversation for the Mountain West Championship every year. This year is no different, and they have a shot to do it. If the Lobos are able to find a goalie to step in and play well, the Lobos have the pieces to be one of the best teams in the Mountain West. The Lobos will most likely need to win the conference tournament to get in to the NCAA Tournament, unless they have an unbelievable non-conference season. If the Lobos are able to make the NCAA Tournament, it will be a great season and a testament to the work that Coach Dyche is doing.