The Lobos (2-2-0) return home after a dominating performance on the road against Marquette. They will host their annual Pat Grange and Ben Ashwill Invitational this weekend, where they will play Cal State University Northridge (CSUN) on Friday and UC Irvine on Sunday. The Lobos look to have things rolling after struggling to find offense in their two matches in Seattle, scoring only 1 goal in those two matches, both losses. Since then, the Lobos have scored 7 goals in their two matches while allowing only 1 goal. The Lobos will look to keep it going this weekend before they start conference play next week, and they should be able to go 2-0-0 this weekend to enter conference play with a 4-2-0 record.
CSUN:
The Matadors of CSUN come to Albuquerque with a 2-1-0 record and are coming off a great 2-1 road win at Utah Valley. CSUN is a familiar foe for the Lobos, as the two teams have matched up 16 times, with the Lobos holding a 11-4-1 record. The two sides have faced each other the last 4 seasons, with the Lobos winning the last three and each match being good contest. CSUN is a defensive-minded side, so the chances for both sides could be few and far between. That means that the team that is able to make the most of their chances will be able to win this match. I expect CSUN to try to play the match in the middle of the field and look for a few good chances while not leaving great scoring chances for their opponents.
CSUN Stats:
| CSUN | Opponents | |
| Goals Scored | 5 (2 First Half, 3 Second Half) | 4 (3 First Half, 1 Second Half) |
| Goals Per Match | 1.67 | 1.33 |
| Shots/Shots on Goal | 29/17 | 25/15 |
| Shots Per Match | 9.3 | 8.7 |
| Assists | 4 | 2 |
| Corner Kicks | 11 | 15 |
| Fouls | 52 | 41 |
| Yellow Cards/Red Cards | 8/0 | 6/0 |
| Goal Against Average | 1.31 | 1.63 |
| Saves | 11 | 12 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
- CSUN is led in scoring by Daniel Trejo and Jordan Kinoshi, who have each scored 2 goals.
- CSUN has four players that have an assist this season and have assisted on all but one goal (penalty kick).
- CSUN has a Canadian Goalkeeper, just like the Lobos and Jason Beaulieu, in Junior Keeper Henrik Regnitnig, who has a 1.31 Goals Against Average so far this season.
- CSUN plays a physical brand of soccer, which is evident by the 8 yellow cards (almost 3 a match) and 52 fouls (over 17 fouls a match). The Lobos will need to keep their cool and not get into a shoving match.
Lobo Stats:
| Lobos | Opponents | |
| Goals Scored | 8 (5 First Half, 3 Second Half) | 4 (2 First Half, 2 Second Half) |
| Goals Per Match | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Shots/Shots on Goal | 49/24 | 50/25 |
| Shots Per Match | 12.3 | 12.5 |
| Assists | 6 | 3 |
| Corner Kicks | 20 | 17 |
| Fouls | 43 | 35 |
| Yellow Cards/Red Cards | 8/0 | 5/1 |
| Goal Against Average | 1.00 | 2.00 |
| Saves | 20 | 16 |
| Shutouts | 1 | 1 |
- Luke Lawrence and Nick Taylor have scored two goals a piece this season. Six Lobos have scored a goal so far this season.
- Devin Boyce leads the Lobos with 3 assists on the season to go along with his goal scored.
- Four players have assists so far this season.
- After struggling to score goals in the first half last season, the Lobos have scored 5 first half goals through 4 matches this season.
- Senior Goalie Jason Beaulieu has been great for the Lobos. While his Goals Against Average is higher than his career average, he has made numerous great saves that have kept the Lobos in matches and winning matches.
News and Notes:
- Coach Fishbein changed things up in the Marquette match, starting freshmen Alex Vedamanikam and Nick Taylor and moving Devin Boyce in more of a playmaking role. These changes worked out extremely well, as the Lobos scored 4 goals in the match. I would bet that we see this lineup more during the season as this lineup brings more punch to the offensive attack.
- Roles are starting to be defined and I like the energy that the players have brought as they fight for their roles and minutes.
- Look for the minutes and sub patterns to be set in the next few matches, which will bring clarity to players roles on the team. There could still be movement, but clear roles allow players to be stars in their roles.
- This match is the start of three straight home matches. The Lobos will look to go 3-0-0 at home and set up their chance of getting a National Seed.
- This team is extremely exciting to watch, and it shouldn’t be long before Lobo fans start showing up in full force.
- Last year I wrote a piece on Pat Grange and Ben Ashwill, you can read it here. Also, please watch the Pat Grange E:60 video that is very impactful. I will always remember and thank Pat and Ben for the lasting impact they left on me, Lobo Soccer, and Lobo fans.
Match Prediction:
The two sides should be pretty even in talent, and both sides are coming off their best performances of the season. The Lobos will have the advantage of playing at home and that should give them the edge in this match. I will give the Lobos are 42% chance of winning the match and a 76% chance of coming away with a result. I have the Lobos winning a 2-1 contest with goals from Vedamanikam and Gleadle. It should be a fun night watching Lobo soccer and celebrating the legacies of Pat and Ben.
Match Info:
Who: New Mexico Lobos (2-2-0) vs. Cal State Northridge (2-1-0)
Where: UNM Soccer Complex, Albuquerque, NM
When: September 8th, 7 PM MT
Stream: GoLobos.com
Denver vs. UC Irvine will play at 4 PM, I will be there to watch both matches, so come by and say hi!