After a tough, 2-1 loss on the road to 19th-ranked Texas Tech, the Lobos (0-1-0) get back to work today against Cal (1-1-0). The Golden Bears are now ranked either 19th or 21st, depending on who you ask, so they will be another tough test for the Lobos, especially on the road. They’ve already given one strong effort on the road, so there’s reason to believe that they’ll be ready for the challenge.
Cal Golden Bears:
The Bears are coming off a great year, where they went 13-7-3, finished fourth in a very tough Pac-12, and made the NCAA Tournament, where they lost in the first round to LMU. They are coached by 10th year Head Coach Neil McGuire, who is hoping to lead the team even further this year.
- Last season they outscored opponents 34-14, with a 13-6 advantage in first halves, and 21-7 in second halves.
- Last year, they averaged 15.0 shots per match while allowing 11.0 shots per game.
- Junior keeper Emily Boyd returns after starting all 22 games last season, with a goal against average of .57 and 11 clean sheets. In the two games so far, she’s only allowed one goal.
- Their offense hasn’t quite come around yet this season, only scoring one goal in their two games. However, their defense has kept them in the games, as they’ve only given up one goal as well.
Players to Watch:
Lobos: The Lobo player that I will be watching in this match is senior midfielder Maddie Irwin, who scored the Lobos’ lone goal against Texas Tech. That’s already a third of her season total from last year, so I’m hoping to see her blow past that number this season. She provides a lot of her value to the team through her defense and ball control, but if she can step up her scoring, that would be a boon for the Lobos.
Golden Bears: The Cal player I will be keeping an eye on is the one who will be drawing a lot of attention from all of her opponents this year: Arielle Ship. She was the Pac-12 player of the year last year and has found herself on a bunch of preseason watch lists this year. Last year, she had 14 goals and 6 assists, so while she only has an assist so far this year, it feel like it is only a matter of time before the floodgates open.
Match Prediction:
Just like the first match, this will be a major challenge for the Lobos. There are certainly ways for them to come away with a huge win, but they’re clearly the underdogs in this matchup. One thing to keep in mind is that Cal is great defensively, but hasn’t gotten it going on the offensive end, which could leave this game as a low-scoring affair, where a single goal could be all that is necessary to walk away with a win. I think the Lobos have about a 20% chance to pull off the upset and a 45% chance for at least a draw. My guess is that this will be a 1-0 game either way, but with Cal the most likely team to come out on top.
Game Info:
Who: New Mexico Lobos (0-1-0) at Cal Golden Bears (1-1-0)
When: Friday August 26th, 2016, 3 PM M.T.
Where: Edwards Stadium, Berkeley, CA
Stream: None
Live Stats: Found Here