After beating ENMU 2-1 in an exhibition match, the Lobos kick off their 2016 campaign with a tough task on the road against Texas Tech. Last year in the matchup, the Lobos lost a 1-0 game in Albuquerque against the then nationally-ranked Red Raiders team. The Lobos are coming off a solid 10-8-2 year, in which they went 6-3-1 on the road, and they hope to keep up that road warrior mentality. Both teams will be looking for answers to questions in their season openers, and without much to go on, the first game can lead to a weird match. The Lobos will need to make the right decision on who is starting in goal and hope that they are able to go all 90 minutes. This should be an exciting match against the two regional rivals.
Texas Tech:
The Red Raiders are coming off a great year, where they went 14-4-5 and were nationally ranked for the whole season. They are coached by 10th year Head Coach Tom Stone, who will look to replace some key players off of last year’s Big 12 Championship team.
- Last season they outscored opponents 33-19. 17-7 in first halves, and 16-12 in second halves.
- Averaged 14.3 shots per match while allowing 13.7 shots per game.
- Goalie Lauren Watson returns after starting 22 games last season, with a goal against average of .73, with 10 clean sheets.
- Lost most off their offense from last season, so they will be looking for players to step up to fill the void.
Players to Watch:
Lobos: The Lobo player that I will be watching in this match is Junior Forward Quincy Slora, who scored 3 goals and had 3 assists last season. I am looking forward to see if she is able to take a step forward this season and be a force in the Mountain West.
Red Raiders: The Red Raider I will be keeping an eye on is Senior Goalie Lauren Watson. As mentioned earlier, she had a very impressive .73 GAA last year and will be looking for another clean sheet against the Lobos. The Lobos will have to find good chances from ball movement and willingness to take shots when there is space if they want to get past her.
Match Prediction:
This is a tough first match for the Lobos, especially with the uncertainty at keeper. Because there are a lot of questions for both teams, there are a lot of possible outcomes for this match. With that being said, I will be conservative with my prediction for this match. I give the Lobos a 20% chance for the great road win, and a 48% for at least a draw. In the end I think that the Lobos will fall 2-1 in the opener. I hope the road warriors of last year show up to prove me wrong.
Game Info:
Who: New Mexico Lobos (0-0-0) at Texas Tech (0-0-0)
When: Friday August 19th 2016, 6 PM M.T.
Where: John Walker Soccer Complex, Lubbock Texas
Stream: texastech.com (paid)