The Fish Blog

Previous Columns • September 2008 • August 2008

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May 14, 2013

Lobo Faithful:

Summer is right around the corner.....semester exams passed, individual meetings complete, closing team meeting a success.....time to kick the feet up and relax...only in retirement! What a tremendous year for Lobo Men's Soccer. The reward for hard work and success is continued hard work. This week has been our first "out of the fire" and has allowed time to reflect on the past nine months. What an honor to coach and work with such an incredible group of young men and to be involved in such a vibrant and passionate community. Our players are committed to excellence in the classroom, in the community and on the playing field. Lobo Faithful: Thank you for being enthusiastic and supportive members of Lobo Men's Soccer! You motivate all of us on a daily basis and make us better! I wanted to pass on some information regarding the spring season, recruiting, 2013 schedule and Lobos in the Pro's. 

We completed our spring playing season on April 27th in Denver versus Creighton University (Final Four participants the past two years). A great performance by the boys as we concluded our spring undefeated with a record of 5-0-1. The passion to compete, unity, leadership and desire to win was demonstrated every minute of every match. Lobo Men's Soccer is about EXCELLENCE! Here is the GoLobos.com Spring Re-cap.

Recruiting is a never ending component of collegiate athletics. I am very excited about our two latest signings for the upcoming season. Rene Reyes and Oniel Fisher will be joining us this fall and both bring maturity, international experience and flair to our program. Rene played for Jacksonville University this fall, where he was a member of the freshman All-Conference Team and Oniel was a junior college All-American and won a National Championship at Tyler Junior College. Rene and Oniel are dynamic players who will complement their Lobo teammates.

Our 2013 Schedule has been finalized and looks to be the most complete and challenging schedule in our history. With our move to Conference USA, we will be tested coast to coast, while facing the top competition in the country. This may be the best schedule in the country! The Lobos will be tested every match and our home supporters will be treated to some incredible match-ups.

Lobos Devon Sandoval and Blake Smith faced off this past Saturday as rookie professional players in MLS, as Real Salt Lake traveled to Montreal to face the Impact. Blake Smith assisted on the game winner for Montreal and laid claim to bragging rights. Sandoval scored his first professional goal the previous match. Here is video footage of Devon's goal.

I will keep in touch over the summer and look forward to seeing all of you this fall. Thanks for your continued support and GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein
Lobo Soccer

March 2, 2013

LOBO FAITHFUL:

Exciting times for University of New Mexico Lobo Soccer! Our most successful fundraising event to date took place last Sunday night, Victor Rodriguez just signed his first professional contract and our spring schedule has been released.

Sunday night was a huge night for our program. Great Friend of Lobo Soccer, Mark Gorham, with the help of former Lobo Soccer Captain, Jason Hix, put on an incredible fundraising event featuring former New Mexico Governor and Presidential candidate, Gary Johnson. Gorham, Hix and Johnson helped the program raise $50,000 over the course of the night. The evening's program featured a presentation by Gary Johnson on his climb of Mt. Everest. Incredible event and the Albuquerque community came out in force to support Lobo Soccer. Read more about the fundraiser here.

The team's recent accomplishments and highlights were shown to the crowd at the event. You can watch that video here.

Victor Rodriguez, our senior goalkeeper from Las Cruces, just signed a professional contract with Antigua GFC in the Primera Division de Ascenso of Guatemala. Vic graduated in December and is currently in Antigua, Guatemala, one of the most beautiful cities in Central America. I will keep you posted on how his season progresses. Vic joins Devon Sandoval and Blake Smith as professional players from this fall under contract, with Nik Robson currently in camp with the Minnesota Stars. 

Our spring match schedule has been released with some great matches at home and on the road. 

Here is our 2013 Spring Schedule.

Exciting times ahead for Lobo Soccer. I will keep you posted throughout the spring!

Coach Fish

Feb. 7, 2013

LOBO FAITHFUL:

Lobo Soccer Fundraiser

Dec. 12, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

University of New Mexico Lobo Soccer is shutting it down for 2012. Great season, incredible supporters and everyone is ready for the Holidays and some down time.....everyone except for the coaching staff. We'll have a bit of relaxing and then recruiting and then getting ready for an exciting 2013! Just wanted to, once again, thank the Lobo Faithful for your tremendous support and wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. Our six seniors will be missed.....never replaced, but new players will fill their vacated roles and try to reach the high standard they have set.

Our sports information department put all the season accomplishments/honors together for a soon to be released final re-cap. I've copied the major points and pasted below. Some other well deserved news which just came in today, Associate Head Coach Paul Souders was named the Far West Region Assistant Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. He is now up for National Assistant Coach of the Year. I'm really proud of this year's team and all that they accomplished. The boys excelled in the classroom, in the community and on the field of competition. Thanks again and I will be in touch come January.

GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

2012 Lobo Soccer Season

• 17-4-1 Final Record

• Regular Season MPSF Champs - 8^th Regular season MPSF Conference title, 11^th overall (including MPSF Tournament titles)

• Ninth NCAA Tournament appearance in eleven seasons

• Two straight NCAA Sweet 16's (Fourth overall)

• One of only 8 teams in nation to make Sweet 16 last two seasons

• 11-0 victory over UNLV was most goals in program history against a NCAA Division I opponent. The match saw Devon Sandoval become the first player since Jeff Rowland in 2005 to record a hat trick. His three goals and two assists were the third-most points in a conference match in MPSF history.

• Lobos were named to TopDrawerSoccer's National Team of the Week six different times. Devon Sandoval three times, Victor Rodriguez once, Kyle Venter once and James Rogers once. Sandoval was the three-time MPSF Player of the Week as well.

• The 35 wins in 2011 and 2012 tie the most wins in a two-year span in program history. The 2004 and 2005 teams also had 35 wins.

• Jeremy Fishbein surpassed Klaus Weber for the all-time win record at UNM. His record at New Mexico is now 154-48-26 in eleven seasons.

• The Lobos had the highest number of different players score a goal in the nation. 15 different Lobos combine to score 53 goals this season. Those 53 goals in 22 matches made UNM second in the nation in goals per game.

• Blake Smith finished second in the nation with 13 assists. That was the second-most assists in a season in program history.

• Devon Sandoval's 15 goals and seven assists put him in the top ten in college soccer in total goals and total points this season. He leaves in the program in the top ten all-time in the same two categories in team history.

• New Mexico posted eleven shutouts this season, which was the third most in program history

• UNM ranked in top 25 in NSCAA rankings the entire season. Reached as high as third (Final poll comes out tomorrow)

The Post-Season Awards:

• MAC-Hermann Semifinalist: Devon Sandoval (Third time in program history)

• All-MPSF:
• First Team: Devon Sandoval, Blake Smith, Kyle Venter, Victor Rodriguez
• Second Team: Michael Calderon, Michael Kafari and Levi Rossi
• Third Team:  James Rogers, Travis Campbell, Matthew Gibbons
• Newcomer of the Year: Ben McKendry

• All-Region:
• First Team: Blake Smith, Devon Sandoval and Kyle Venter
• Third Team: Michael Calderon

• NSCAA All-America:
• Second Team: Devon Sandoval
• Third Team: Kyle Venter

• College Soccer News All-America:
• Second Team: Devon Sandoval
• Third Team: Kyle Venter

• TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Season
• Second Team: Kyle Venter
• Freshmen Second Team: Ben McKendry

• College Soccer News All-Freshmen Team: Second Team: Ben McKendry

• Capital One Academic All-American: Levi Rossi (Third Team)

• Capital One Academic All-District Team: Levi Rossi, James Rogers, Adrian Mora Delgado

• NSCAA Team Academic Award: Ninth time in ten years. 3.30 team GPA ranked in top 25 nationally

• Blake Smith and Devon Sandoval received invites to the MLS Player combine. New Mexico is one of only 13 schools in the country to have multiple players invited to the MLS Player combine. Only 54 players in the nation are invited to this.

Nov. 28, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

The dreaded closing email of the 2012 season: a tremendous University of New Mexico Lobo Soccer season came to a disappointing and premature end last Sunday in Storrs, Connecticut. Our boys played dynamic, attacking soccer versus the UConn Huskies, but couldn't put away the chances which would have brought victory. We had great opportunities when up 1-0 and again in the final minutes of regulation when tied 1-1. Luck was not on our side and unfortunately, luck played a role in the final outcome, 104 minutes of beautiful soccer, only to end in the second period of overtime.

Here is the link to the website article on the UConn match recap.

I will get a more in-depth email out in the next couple of weeks reviewing the 2012 season and the academic and on-field accomplishments of our players. 17-4-1 with wins over national powers UCLA, SMU and Virginia highlighted the season. Our six seniors will be greatly missed and their leadership will fuel the program for years to come. Vic Rodriguez, Travis Campbell, Levi Rossi, Blake Smith, Devon Sandoval and Nik Robson have set the bar high for Lobo Soccer.

Our program needs your financial assistance! We need to supplement our operating budget by approximately $50,000 per year to maintain our current standards. If you haven't already joined the Golden Goal Club, your membership is needed. The GGC is the Lobo Men's Soccer Booster Club and 100% of membership dollars go directly to our program. Here is the link to the Golden Goal Club Brochure.

Thanks again for your incredible support this season and every season. Have a wonderful Holiday. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein

Nov. 21, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

It was a tremendous team performance from the University of New Mexico Lobo Soccer Team Sunday night. 3-1 home victory over perennial ACC power, University of Virginia, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Our boys were focused, confident and hungry to get the NCAA post-season rolling! From the opening minute, we came out "guns a-blazing"! Can't say enough about our team unity, leadership and toughness!

Game re-cap and highlight video link  

Link to the post game press conference

The reward for hard work and success is; more hard work! With Sunday's victory, the Lobo's advance to the NCAA "Sweet 16". Off to Storrs, Connecticut and a challenging match versus fourth-seeded University of Connecticut Huskies. We depart Friday afternoon for Sunday's 1:00 pm kick-off (11:00 am in the Mountain Time zone). Below are the links for the NCAA's free live video stream of the match and links to Live Stats and the UCONN campus radio broadcast.

Live Stats 

Radio Broadcast/Audio Stream

Video Stream

On behalf of our program, I can't thank you enough for your incredible support. The team plays for and with our Lobo Faithful. Your energy is passed on to us, and we feel an obligation to represent all of you in the highest fashion. I am proud to coach such a wonderful team of committed and high achieving young men. The NSCAA just announced us as recipients of the "NSCAA Team Academic Award", with a team grade point average of 3.30. Our players are committed to EXCELLENCE: Academic, Social and Athletic.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I will keep you posted.

GO LOBOS!

Coach

Nov. 16, 2012

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM COACH FISHBEIN

LOBO FAITHFUL:

University of New Mexico Men's Soccer is playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in the past 12 years. With a 16-3-1 regular season record, the Lobos received the #13 seed in the 48 team bracket. With a "Top 16" seed, we secured the all-important first round bye and second-round home match.

The Lobos play Virginia, the winner of Thursday's contest between them and Lafayette College, Sunday night, November 18 at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers are a perennial power out of the ACC, and it will be a hard-fought match on Sunday.

Tickets can be purchased on-line or at the Lobo Ticket Office in the Northeast corner of The Pit on Friday the 16th from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Last year's second round home match was a sellout and over 2000 people were turned away at the gate. We anticipate Sunday's match to be a full house and advise the Lobo Faithful to purchase your tickets early and arrive at the stadium 40 minutes prior to kickoff, ensuring good seats.

Per NCAA rules, the game will kick off at 7:00 pm sharp! I know a lot of people are tailgating prior to the game. Lets make it an ELECTRIC NIGHT!

Our team is energized by the Lobo Faithful! The boys are focussed, healthy and excited to play!

Thanks for your incredible support and see you Sunday night at 7:00 p.m.

GO LOBOS!

Nov. 11, 2012

Lobo Faithful: 

Heartbreaking loss in penalty kicks today in the MPSF Tournament Final. Leading 1-0 in regulation time, Air Force scored an incredible tying goal from 25 yards with 16 seconds remaining in the match. 20 minutes of overtime failed to produce a goal, and the match was decided on penalties. Air Force had our number this season. For the record books and NCAA Tournament seeding, the game is recorded as a tie. We finished the regular season/MPSF Tournament with a record of 16-3-1, as we enter NCAA postseason play. With the shootout victory, Air Force moves on the NCAA Tournament with the MPSF Tournament title. 

Lobo Soccer invites all of you to join us tomorrow, Monday, November 12th, for the NCAA Tournament Selection Show. Coaches Bar and Grill located at 1414 Central Ave SE (87106 - (505) 242-7111) will be our hosts. The show will air promptly at 3:30 Mountain time, so I recommend everyone arrive around 3:00 to ensure a good seat. Hope all of you can join us! Your support drives our program. 

Tomorrow is a celebration of a tremendous regular season and the beginning of a great NCAA Tournament run. We are anticipating a home match either this Thursday or Sunday. Check golobos.com tomorrow night for our NCAA seeding, date, location and time of our first match. Thanks for all your support, continued support and see you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein

Lobo Men's Soccer

October 10th, 2012

Lobo Faithful,

The collegiate soccer season is an incredibly condensed four months (if you make it to the National Finals). It's 20 regular season contests, conference tournament and NCAA Tournament in those four months. Training begins mid-August in 100-degree heat, and the NCAA Championships conclude mid-December in the cold of winter. The weather is transitioning here in Albuquerque and with this transition, we are fighting our worst enemy, the FLU! Cold weather gear is being issued to the team this morning (hats, gloves and heavy jackets) in preparation for our weekend trip to Colorado and the conditions we will face the next two months.

The team is back to good health, and we seem to have encountered and overcome the first major obstacles of the season. The mental grind of being on top, national rankings, being a professional prospect, uncertainty about what lies beyond graduation..... will I ever play?... am I good enough to play here?... the coaches don't value me... I'm tired of just training and not seeing game time.... should I go to another school?......I'm better than the guy playing in front of me... I don't like this style of play....

Player management become one of the most important elements of the job. The mental pressures of the season are what really wear you down. Being on top and staying on top is draining. The Lobos are everyone's big game and you get your opponents "A" game every match. It's a good problem to have, but quite a challenge. Our non-conference matches were against top opponents who played us "straight up". All proud, accomplished teams who felt they were better than us and aimed to prove it via quality soccer. They didn't know our team, and we didn't know them. They were great, exciting games. Conference play is a different animal. Ten fierce matches with little rest, played over six weeks (single match weekends bookend four weekends of two matches). We've played the majority of our conference opponents for years and know each other inside and out. There is no fear, and teams are honest with themselves (the majority) and know it's best to not play us in an open match. What we face, are well-organized, defensive teams, who look to beat us on the counter attack and on set pieces. This is what we faced this past weekend versus Air Force and Denver.

LOBOS VS AIR FORCE ACADEMY: OCTOBER 5, 2012 7:00 PM. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Friday night was a perfect evening for soccer. Great crowd, perfect weather and we opened the match very well. Ball speed was excellent, good movement and we were creating chances. Air Force was compact in the back and played with a very defensive mindset. Their major threats were two excellent attacking players, their tenacity and opportunities off long throw-ins or dead balls. Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities, we couldn't find the net. As the game wore on, Air Force became more defensive and committed to defending. For the match we held an 18-5 advantage in shots and our keeper was challenged to make only one save. It was a pretty one-sided affair outside of the scoreboard. Ultimately, soccer is about scoring goals, not possession or shots. As the clock ticked down in regulation time, 0-0 remained on the scoreboard.

Overtime! Air Force couldn't have drawn up their game plan any better. Three minutes into the first overtime, they won a throw-in deep in our half. A long throw into the six-yard box, mayhem and the ball finds it way into our net. 1-0 Falcons in a crushing defeat. It was our first home loss in two years. Welcome to conference play! Here's the recap from our website.

LOBOS VS UNIVERSITY OF DENVER: OCTOBER 7, 2012 1:00 PM. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

It was another challenging match versus a very familiar opponent. Denver has had an excellent season so far and came into the match ranked in the "Top 40". They're a well-balanced team with pride and some offensive weapons. This being said, their game plan was very similar to that of Air Force.... maybe a bit more open, but they would protect their goal and defend deep with numbers. We rebounded well from Friday night's loss and really got the Pioneers on their heels early. 7-1 advantage in shots the first half and we created several chances which should have been goals.... needed to be goals! We were scoreless going into half time, and we were confident going into the second half. We continued to play well and create chances, but couldn't find the net. Denver dropped even deeper and absorbed our pressure. After 90 minutes, still deadlocked at 0-0.

We held an 18-11 advantage in shots and a 11-4 advantage in corner kicks. The game was played in our offensive half. Overtime again and we were committed to winning this one. In the second overtime, off a long diagonal ball from Michael Calderon, Devon Sandoval read a defenders miscue and calmly slotted the ball into an empty net in the 105th minute. Not the way we wanted to win the match, but a tremendous display of perseverance and confidence. 1-0 Lobos. Match re-cap from our website.

Don't ask why, but we are off to Colorado Springs and Denver this weekend to face two familiar opponents.... very familiar. It's Air Force Friday night at 7:00 and Denver, Sunday at 1:00. Normally, this trip would be a nightmare, but this time it's going to be a great challenge. Our team is excited to play Air Force on a bigger field and show what we are about. The same can be said for Denver. I feel good about things and am very excited to see our reaction and how we play. We depart Thursday and return Sunday night.

Hope to see the Colorado Lobo Faithful out in force this weekend.

Thanks for your continued support and GO LOBOS!

Coach

October 2nd, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

Same old story line: regardless of the opposition, throw out the records and the rankings. Rarely is there an easy match in collegiate soccer! We opened MPSF Conference play this past weekend in Houston versus conference newcomer, Houston Baptist University. My previous experiences in Houston, have involved wonderful people, humidity and a lot of rain! This trip was wet, wet and more wet! We were scheduled to play Saturday night at 7:00 PM, things were looking good right up until 4:00 when the rain really started to come down. We had been warned that HBU's field had poor drainage and a downpour could cause serious issues. It was not our night. We warmed up for the match, but as the rain continued to come down, the officials deemed the field unplayable. Game postponed! A good thing, as a sloppy field would have been an equalizer. Fortunately, we had a mid-day departure and HBU was able to secure a site with artificial turf for Sunday... at 8:00 AM. Not the preferred time for a collegiate match, but our boys stayed positive and spirits were high to get the game in.

NEW MEXICO VS HOUSTON BAPTIST UNIVERSITY. SEPTEMBER 30th, 8:00 AM (CT) HOUSTON, TEXAS

5:00 AM (4:00 New Mexico time) wake up and energy levels were good. We opened the match with some tremendous soccer... everything but putting the ball in the net. In the 15th minute, against the run of play, HBU scored a great goal against our defense. Wake up call! The boys remained calm and quickly got back in sync and got a hold of the match. We didn't finish our chances, but optimism was high going into halftime.

18 minutes into the second half, Devon Sandoval played a great ball to Nik Robson at the top of the box and the Kiwi blasted the ball to the left of the GK to even the match 1-1. We continued to put the heat on HBU, and 14 minutes later we scored a beautiful goal! Blake Smith found the ball on the right flank and played a central ball to Robson.... Nik back-heeled the ball to the far post to James Rogers, and James calmly slotted the ball across the GK for our second and winning goal. 2-1 Lobos. We closed the game out and felt good about the result. 16-8 advantage in shots, 12-1 advantage in corner kicks and Vic with four routine saves. Not the prettiest game, but we dealt with adversity and came out on top versus a hungry team. We are 8-1-0 on the season (1-0-0 in conference), and I am proud of the boys! Link to match re-cap.

We are back home this weekend for matches versus the Air Force Academy on Friday night at 7:00 PM and Denver University Sunday at 1:00 PM. Great rivalries and both games will be action-packed.

Thanks for your continued support. GO LOBOS!

Coach

September 26th, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

On to Conference play! It's ten games, which will require grit, determination, skill, tenacity, fitness, strength, focus and maturity. We will play in some of the most challenging venues in the West. There's excitement for the battles ahead. Our non-conference slate is behind us. Sunday's match was the conclusion of eight tremendous matches leading into Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play. Of our opponents, seven were 2011 NCAA Tournament participants and UCLA, UAB, SMU, Dartmouth, Tulsa and Cal Irvine have had spells in the national "Top 25" this season. The non-conference goal was to play the best and to prepare for our defense of the MPSF Title... Mission accomplished!

LOBOS VS FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY. 7:00 PM SEPTEMBER 21, 2012: ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Fairfield traveled across the country to face the Lobos. Connecticut is a long way from the Land of Enchantment! The Stags are a quality team, fresh off a run in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Mature, tough and determined to come west and make their mark. Not this year! Our boys were ready for this one, as were the 2000+ in the stands. We wanted to play soccer, but were ready to go toe to toe with a physical team. Fairfield was determined to make the match a war: aerial balls, set pieces, direct play with the goal of intimidation and breaking up the rhythm of the match.

17:33 into the match, Devon Sandoval put tremendous pressure on the back four, capitalized on a Fairfield miscue. Running full stream at one of the center backs, Sandoval caused a rushed back pass... over the keeper and Devon slotted the ball into the empty net. 1-0 Lobos. We continued to control the half but failed to connect on the crucial second goal. We convincingly got a hold of the match in the second half and were rewarded in the 81st minute when a Blake Smith rocket was blocked and James Rogers followed up to make it 2-0 Lobos. This is how the match finished with the stats all in the Lobos' favor: 19-5 in shots, 13-4 advantage in corner kicks, Vic Rodriguez challenged to make only 1 save the entire match (1st half).

Fairfield committed 21 fouls to our nine and received a late red card and three yellows. No Lobos were booked. Pretty nasty match, but our boys won both the physical battle and played with quality. Here's a link to the website article.

LOBOS VS NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. 1:00 PM SEPTEMBER 23, 2012: ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

It was another opponent traveling a great distance to face the Lobos. Sunday was all Lobos! What made the day so special was the opportunity to remember Lobo Patrick Grange and help promote ALS awareness and fundraising. The starting team wore Grange #4 shirts for the introduction and money was raised at the gate for ALS research. Incredible event, and we feel so fortunate to be able to stay connected to Pat and to be involved with the fight against ALS.

We challenged the boys to come out strong and lock down the match early. 19:40 into the match, Blake Smith worked his magic on the right flank, cut inside and played a beautiful left footed ball to the far post... Sandoval with a great run, nodded the ball into the net. 1-0 Lobos. Ten minutes later a great flick from Carson Baldinger played into the path of a charging Sandoval , which led to our second goal of the match. 2-0 Lobos. We couldn't find the third and went into halftime hungry to put the game out of reach. 22 minutes into the second half some great individual work by Blake Smith put the match away. 3-0 Lobos. Very convincing win with the stats to prove it: 18-9 advantage in shots, nine-three in corners and Vic Rodriguez and Javier Lane combined for three saves and the shutout. Link to the GoLobos.com recap.

For his efforts over the weekend, Devon Sandoval was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week for the second time this season and Devon was also named MPSF Player of the week for a third time.

We are off to Houston on Friday and our Conference opener versus Houston Baptist Saturday night at 6:00 (MT). If you haven't already joined our booster club, the Golden Goal Club, here is the link to the brochure. We need your support!

Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS!

Coach

==============================================

September 19th, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

Sorry I'm a day or two late getting my "Lobo Faithful" email out to you. Last weekend'ss matches really took it out of me. The emotional roller coaster of a tense match or in this case, matches, puts an unbelievable beating on your mind and body. Seldom are there easy games in collegiate soccer. Anytime you face a team of 19-23 year-old young men who are fit, committed, focused and combative, you have to bring your "A" game. Coming off a season in which we achieved the #1 regular season ranking, and currently being ranked in the top 10, only adds fuel and incentive to our opponents fire.

As of last Sunday, we have played six of our 18 regular season matches. Five of our six opponents were NCAA Tournament teams in 2011 and all six have been ranked in the national "Top 30" during the first four weeks of this season (UCLA, SMU and Irvine all in the "Top 15" at some point this season). I have been very impressed with our team and the boys' ability to overcome the myriad obstacles they have faced. The manner in which they've embraced the challenge of having a "target on our chest" had been mature, inspiring and impressive. Playing the underdog role is easy, but being the favorite is difficult. Our team relishes the challenge; appreciating and honoring the respect and accolades we have received. To be the best, you have to be cohesive, driven, hard-working, talented and a bit lucky. Luck always rears its ugly head at some critical point in the season.

Here I am, in bed writing to you at 10:00 pm on a Tuesday night.... probably rambling... Monday was a recovery session in the morning and today was an off day for the team. Kids are in bed, my wife continues to think I am crazy, and I am ready to put last weekend to rest and focus my full attention on our upcoming matches and tomorrow mornings training session.

LOBOS VS DARTMOUTH: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2012: 7:00 PM, ALBUQUERQUE, NM

Dartmouth is one of the strongest teams in the Ivy League with a quality coach, tremendous work ethic and a few special players. Smart kids from throughout the USA and foreign lands fill their roster. We were confident going into the match, but at the same time, cautious. It was a beautiful night for soccer with 4,000 supporters in the stands and the energy was tremendous. Great warm-up and we were firing on all cylinders. 1:30 into the match, two of our defenders went for the same aerial ball (textbook thing not to do.... one attacks ball and other gives cover) there was a collision with neither getting a piece of the ball. The ball bounces perfectly to the Dartmouth forward, who calmly slots it past our keeper. 1-0 Dartmouth just 90 seconds into the match. Unbelievable! To the boys credit, there was no reaction just back to business.

One minute later, tremendous solo effort from Michael Kafari on the flank, shot and rebound to Devon Sandoval who blasted the ball into the upper net. 1-1 with two goals in opening three minutes of the match. The early fireworks had just begun. Seven minutes later there was some uncharacteristic sloppy defending on our left flank, great finish, 2-1 Dartmouth.

Eight minutes later, great effort from James Rogers to Michael Calderon. 2-2 at the 18 minute mark of the match. My heart was pumping and who knows the effect on my internal organs. What a way to make a living. To the boys' credit, they never faltered and stayed the course. We really go a hold of the match and started to play some beautiful soccer. While we didn't find the net the remainder of the half, we felt very good going into halftime.

The second half was all Lobos. Our play was rewarded in the 60th minute when Ben McKendry punched in the rebound off a Blake Smith shot. 3-2 Lobos and we closed out the match with class and skill. Goalkeeper Vic Rodriguez didn't have to make a save the entire second half and we finished the match with a 20-8 advantage in shots and 7-1 advantage in corner kicks. Despite the dominating statistics,  it was not an easy game to stomach. Link to the match recap.

LOBOS VS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2012: 1:00 PM, ALBUQUERQUE, NM

Cal Irvine has had great success the past couple of years. Deep runs in the NCAA Tournament and top-level professional players have come from their ranks. This year's team was following suit with quality results and a high national ranking. We had a lot to prove to ourselves coming off Friday's inconsistent, but promising performance. Our goal was a complete game from minute one to minute 90. We were pretty close... three seconds away from our goal.

The sun was intense, the heat was turned up and 1,800 faithful in the stands for a challenging Sunday match. We came out strong and did everything right except put the ball in the net. The first half ended deadlocked 0-0, but we felt Irvine would fade as the game progressed. 15 minutes into the second stanza, tremendous combination play from Sandoval, Smith and Rogers with James Rogers putting the finishing touch on the collaborative effort with a great finish. 1-0 Lobos and cruising.

Irvine appeared dead and it seemed a matter of time before we would finish the match off with a second goal. As the seconds ticked off the clock, the goal never came. 15 seconds left in the match and Irvine awarded a direct kick 30 yards from our goal. Service into our box, clearance by our keeper and with 3 seconds on the clock,  a one-time finish from outside the box to knot the score at 1-1. Unbelievable. Never has this happened to a team I've coached. Irvine didn't have a shot on our goal the entire second half.

Sudden death overtime, two periods of ten minutes.  The boys were determined to not let this one slip away. First overtime... no reward.

As the seconds ticked down, Irvine went into a defensive shell. With a minute left on the clock, a barrage of shots on the Irvine goal earned us a corner from the left side. In-swinging corner from McKendry, class header from Carson Baldinger... 2-1 Lobos in OT.

Another dominating performance but a nail biter. 18-11 advantage in shots and 10-2 advantage in corners with Vic not challenged to make a save the second half or OT.  Big win for the boys and a great display of confidence and perseverance. As for me, what a weekend! Link to match re-cap.

We need your support and your membership in our booster club, the Golden Goal Club. We strive to be the best collegiate men's soccer program in the country. 100% of membership dollars go directly to Lobo Men's Soccer. We needed to raise over $40,000 to cover our operating expenses. Here is the link to our Golden Goal Club Brochure. We need you as a member!

We are back at home this weekend for two more big ones! Fairfield University from Connecticut on Friday night at 7:00 pm and Northern Illinois Sunday at 1:00 pm. Both were NCAA Tournament participants in 2011. Our goal and challenge is to put away our chances and keep a clean sheet. I feel good about this team and our best soccer is still ahead of us.

The University of New Mexico Soccer Team aspires to achieve EXCELLENCE every time we step onto the playing field.

Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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September 10th, 2012

Lobo Faithful,

The University of New Mexico Soccer home opener was scheduled for 7:00 pm, Friday night the 7th, versus #25 ranked UAB. Huge crowd expected.... Field perfect.... Great media exposure... I was thinking a sell-out! Mother Nature wasn't kind to the Lobos. After perfect weather all week, unexpected and unseasonable clouds and rain pelted the Lobo Soccer Complex Friday night. The stands were still crowded with over 3,000 Lobo Faithful willing to brave the elements, until lightning ruined a bit of the fun. Before the match could kick off, lightning caused a 30-minute delay. Our supporters stayed tough and watched the first half in a downpour! The good news is our newly-sodded field drained well and hardly took a beating. More on the game later.

A special promotion by our marketing department had the Lobos wearing custom "Nuevo Mexico" jerseys with vintage turquoise and red lettering. The jerseys looked incredible and received national exposure in several publications. The boys loved the look, and the fans were fired up! Here is some info on the custom jerseys and how to get replicas and game worn jerseys:

"Nuevo Mexico" replica t-shirts for sale at the Lobo Den Store in The Pit. These t-shirts are awesome! Limited availability and going fast. Click on the link for more information and where to buy.

Our department is auctioning off some team issued/game worn "Nuevo Mexico" jerseys on GoLobos.com if you are interested, here is the link to purchase official jerseys from the match.

#8 LOBOS VS #25 UAB: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH, 7:00 PM. ALBUQUERQUE, NM

The boys were pumped to be back at home and playing in front of our home supporters.... The best in the country! James Rogers was back in the lineup for his first minutes of the season, but we were without Blake Smith. Pit was a pretty exciting attacking group complementing a veteran defensive unit. We were excited to get back on the field.

The opening half was played in a downpour. UAB was a very physical team built for direct play, playing off second balls and set pieces. One of the tallest teams we've ever faced. The rain and slippery field played into UAB's strengths. The game would be a battle with a bit of soccer thrown in. We "weathered the storm" and our boys challenged for every tackle and aerial duel. We couldn't develop a playing rhythm but hung tough and dealt with the elements.

The rain cleared and the second half provided a much different environment. Our players took full advantage of the good conditions and took it to UAB. We connected passes, changed the point of attack through our fullbacks and created chances. In the 57th minute, some wonderful combination play involving Michael Calderon and Nik Robson, led to a world-class strike from Robson. Nik collected from Calderon and hit a left-footed blast from 20 yards to notch his first goal of the season and put the Lobos up 1-0. 20 minutes later, Calderon would once again be involved in a Lobo finish. Beating his man off the dribble, Calde fired a shot, which the Blazer GK could only block. Great follow up by Rogers with a left footed finish. 2-0 Lobos and Rogers finding his first goal of the season. Great game for the Lobos and our most complete 90 minutes of the young season. We battled when we needed to battle and played quality soccer when the elements allowed. It was a very composed and well-played match. 2-0 Lobos over #25 UAB with Robson and Rogers tallying their first goals of the season. Link to article and video.

UAB was our first of five consecutive matches at home. We face "top 30" Dartmouth this Friday at 7:00 and #15 UC Irvine on Sunday at 1:00 pm. Two exciting matches versus nationally ranked opposition.

Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS!

Coach

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September 3rd, 2012

Lobo Faithful,

EXCITING NEWS! University of New Mexico Men's Soccer is officially joining Conference USA as an affiliate member for the 2013 season and beyond. Conference USA was the highest rated (RPI) Division I Soccer Conference in the country last year. This move will mean more "big time" games in Albuquerque. The nine-team Conference includes South Carolina, Kentucky, Tulsa, UAB, Charlotte and Old Dominion; all perennial NCAA Tournament teams. Conference USA will help us meet our goal of providing the best soccer in the country to our supporters, the people of New Mexico and  our players. Check the Lobo website at www.golobos.com for more information this week.

Tough weekend in Tulsa! Our third weekend in a row on the road and the boys are excited to be back home for our next five matches. Our home opener is this Friday night at 7:00 pm versus #25  University of Alabama Birmingham. Today is Labor Day and I'm laboring! University of Tulsa and #20 SMU were our opponents this past weekend. The team was healthy, prepared and excited to play two top opponents. Cutting to the chase!

LOBOS VS UNIVERSITY OF TULSA: 8:00 PM FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012. TULSA, OKLAHOMA

We all were excited to get back on the field, test ourselves against quality opposition and get better. Tulsa is an excellent program whose players are committed to playing skillful, attacking soccer. This year's team is very good! Great evening for soccer and the pace of the match was tremendous from the get go.

The opening 15 minutes were back and forth, but we settled in and really got a hold of the game. Our reward came in the 25th minute: left back Mattie Gibbons played an entry ball from the left flank and finished his run into the box. Ball bounced out wide to winger Blake Smith, who whipped in an out swinging cross which found Gibbons at the top of the six-yard box for a precision header. 1-0 Lobos and the game seemingly in control.

In soccer, things can change in an instant. Three minutes later, a Lobo miss-clearance and Tulsa hits a shot from inside our box. Routine reflex save by GK Patrick Poblete and the rebound hits the arm of Travis Campbell. Unintentional and play continues... Whistle... An intentional handball is called by the official saying Campbell's arm prevented the ball from going into the goal. It was an automatic red card and penalty kick awarded. Unbelievable! A game-changing call which is very, very rare. 19 out of 20 times the same official would have called it differently. I couldn't believe it. Tulsa buried the PK and we were challenged to play a man down, ten versus eleven.

Our boys adjusted immediately and finished out the half without further incident. We discussed tactics at half time and reviewed our switch to a 4-4-1 formation, which limited our ability to press from higher areas and required us to really stay compact and pick our attacking moments. We played to perfection... in every way except putting the ball in the net. In the second half, we out-shot Tulsa 10-4 and had a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks in spite of being a man down. We dominated play and had two golden chances in addition to several half chances. No goals and we ventured into overtime encouraged.

Two minutes into the first overtime, a deflected shot, bobbled...rebound... goal... our 23 match undefeated streak over. 2-1 Tulsa in overtime. Our boys' reaction was excellent.

We understood there were opportunities to finish off the match, and we didn't capitalize on them. A great lesson was learned and on to Sundays match versus nationally-ranked SMU. Link to article.

LOBOS VS SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY: 1:30 PM, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2012. TULSA, OKLAHOMA

The mark of an excellent team is the ability to rebound from a tough loss... Rebound with a vengeance. The boys were ready to compete and get back to winning ways. The toughest opponent of the day would prove to be the weather. Over 100 degrees with humidity only known to the South and Midwest. SMU is always a tough opponent with a roster stocked with decorated players from around the country. We started very slow and seemed to have trouble adjusting to the heat. In the 18th minute we were punished for poor defending and went down 1-0.

We regrouped and fought back. Our reward came six minutes later, when the "Costa Rican Connection" leveled the score: Calderon corner kick to Adrian Mora Delgado coming off the CK: 1-1 and the first half finished without further excitement.

Pretty slow paced 45 minutes with SMU taking 4 shots to our 3. The boys were pissed at half time. They were focused and ready to get back on the field. The second half was Lobo Soccer at its finest! We out-shot SMU 19-2 and GK Victor Rodriguez challenged to make only one non-threatening save in the half. Goals from Devon Sandoval and Blake Smith made it 3-1 Lobos at the final whistle. It should have been 5-1. Quality soccer for the final 45 minutes of the match! Link to article

The weekend was quite a learning experience. The end of an incredible streak and the beginning of a new one! The team is very focused and ready to play in front of our home crowd. Sunday was goalkeeper Vic Rodriguez's first game back after a two-match suspension dating from last years NCAA Tournament and James Rogers will be back Friday for his first match of the 2012 season. Our home match versus UAB this Friday at 7:00 will be action packed.

Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS!

Coach

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August 27th, 2012

Lobo Faithful,

17 regular season matches lie ahead for New Mexico Lobo Soccer. We returned from Los Angeles Saturday afternoon, in time for more soccer! Two big games were played on Sunday: U-11 Vipers and U-12 Riot. My nine and eleven-year-old daughters were fired up for their early season matches. In full uniform two hours before kickoff, firing balls off the walls of our dining room. Only a matter of time before they will need to learn a trade: plastering skills and window replacement will be their best bet.

When you come home from a road trip with a win, life is good and you can really enjoy time with your family. When you come home from a loss, the walls are coming down on top of you and it's hard to be a "fully present" husband and dad. The happiest people during our undefeated season last year were my family. I was in a pretty good mood the entire season. Not sure if I recommend marrying a coach.

The other big match this weekend, was Lobos versus Bruins.  Season opener against UCLA at Drake Stadium in the center of Westwood...images of John Wooden, Arthur Ashe, Kareem, Jimmy Connors and other sports icons adorned the walls outside our locker room.... national television audience.... UCLA men's soccer; winners of four national titles, 29 straight NCAA appearances, producer of the greatest number of professional soccer players, 2011 NCAA semi-finalist....#2 pre-season ranking in NSCAA poll.... Our boys were excited to play, but were relaxed and confident that we would come away victorious. What a great feeling to lead a group of young men into a battle most would consider "an inferno with slim odds of coming out the victor". Our team is fearless, unified, confident and prepared. They are a group of warriors who live for the opportunity to face "the best competition they can find". We flew into LAX late Thursday morning and faced our greatest challenge straight away, Los Angeles freeway traffic. Seven miles took us an hour. This would be a constant theme throughout our trip. An hour fighting demonic traffic to the stadium for Thursdays training session and an hour fighting the same relentless opponent getting to Friday's match. A very challenging trip logistically.

 #6 LOBOS VS #2 UCLA: FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2012: 7:00 PM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

The message to the team was unity, confidence, compactness, relentless pressure and mental and physical toughness. It was a wonderful night for soccer with an excellent playing surface and energized crowd. Pre-game activities were choreographed to the second because of the live television broadcast, but kickoff took place without a hitch. The opening minutes saw both sides feeling each other out with direct play and conservative attacks. UCLA was committed to playing out of the back, while our approach was to play a bit more direct: get the ball into their half and attack off seconds and press when we gave the ball away.

The Bruins saw more of the ball in the early going and had the better of play. Chances for both sides came in transition, and I thought we had the best chance early with Michael Calderon barely missing the net off a tremendous Sandoval pass. Patrick Poblete was solid in goal for us. This was Pat's first collegiate start and what a way to be initiated! With two minutes remaining in the first half, we lost our focus/froze up while attacking and being the recipient of a reckless challenge we thought was a "for sure" foul. No whistle and UCLA maturely countered and slipped their right wing behind our left back. Great service and finish...1-0 Bruins going into halftime.

We remained on the field for halftime and emphasized our need to stay composed, stay compact, press mercilessly, win all challenges and get our attacking players in dangerous positions. Looking into the boys' eyes, I could see confidence and excitement... We were motivated and up for the challenge. The match was a tale of two halves. The Lobos were on fire from the whistle. Twelve minutes into the half, right back, Levi Rossi played a beautiful ball far post to Devon Sandoval...great header...1-1 and it was ON!

Three minutes later Sandoval's flick to the back post with Blake Smith slotting it home....2-1 Lobos. Seemed like we had a hold of the game. Soccer is a game of momentum and the elation of scoring often leads to an opening for your opponent.

Less than two minutes after taking the lead, we committed a sloppy foul 35 yards from our goal. An early season miscue and we failed to mark the runners on the ensuing direct kick. Great driven ball into the box and a world-class header from twelve yards leveled the match at 2-2. What an emotional roller coaster!

We settled and once again took control of the match. Confidence was high and 13 minutes later (75th minute), Sandoval notched his second goal of the match.... 3-2 Lobos and we were pressing for a fourth. The last 15 minutes were tense, with Poblete marvelous in the net. We had our chances to put the game away, but failed to "seal the deal". A barrage of shots from UCLA in the final minute were thwarted by Poblete and, we came away with a tremendous victory over an excellent Bruin team. Great way to kick off the season! GoLobos.com game recap.

Devon Sandoval named to National team of the week

I can't tell you how proud and encouraged I am about this team. Our boys play for each other and for all our supporters. We are back on the road this Thursday to Tulsa, Oklahoma to face the University of Tulsa and #16 SMU. Two great challenges and we will be ready!

Thanks for your support and GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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August 21st, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

August 14th, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

July 31, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

The 2012 University of New Mexico Soccer Season is right around the corner. The team has been working hard and everyone is excited to get rolling! I wanted to pass on some important news and information:

Our home opener versus nationally-ranked Alabama-Birmingham has been moved to Friday night, September 7th at 7:00 pm (previously scheduled for September 8th). Our stadium playing field has been re-graded and re-surfaced with a scientifically engineered Bermuda turf. New covered benches and goals will add to our home game presentation. Excitement awaits!

If you haven't reviewed our 2012 schedule, click here for the latest version (7 of the first 8 matches vs 2011 NCAA Tournament participants).

WE NEED YOUR HELP. The only way we can continue to compete at the highest level of collegiate soccer is with your financial support. The Golden Goal Club is the exclusive booster club for Lobo Men's Soccer. 100% of your membership dollars go directly to our program. Our challenge is to raise $60,000 per year to supplement fall and spring travel, recruiting, nutritional products and technology. We strive to provide the best environment in the country for all of our players. Our goal is be the BEST PROGRAM IN THE NATION. Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions pertaining to our fundraising needs. Here is the link to the Golden Goal Club brochure (you can print brochure and all mailing and membership information is listed).

I will stay in close contact throughout preseason and look forward to seeing all of you this fall. Training kicks off August 8th and our first exhibition match takes place August 16th in Los Angeles, California. GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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June 15, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

Summer in New Mexico is in full swing and the change of pace has been nice.....for a while! I can't tell you how proud and impressed I was with our Lobo Men's Soccer team this spring. The final team grade point average for the spring semester was 3.39 and the boys trained incredibly hard. Community involvement and mentorship were also a major part of our spring. Our commitment to EXCELLENCE was all encompassing. You can read Richard Steven's spring wrap-up article right here.

Our 2012 schedule has been finalized and its one of our best ever! Matches vs UCLA, SMU, Tulsa, UAB, Dartmouth and UC Irvine highlight our non-conference matches. Seven of our eight non-conference opponents were 2011 NCAA Tournament participants. Here is the link to the website article and full 2012 schedule.

We just announced our final addition to this years recruiting class. Ben McKendry from Vancouver, Canada will be joining our program this fall. Ben plays as an amateur for the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS and also represents Canada with their U-20 National Team. Ben is an excellent student and shares the academic, community and athletic values of our program. You can read about Ben's signing and what he brings to the table right here.

Lobo James Rogers is currently on tour in South America with the USA U-20 National Team playing matches vs Uruguay and Chile. This is James second call up to the U-20's with the goal of representing the USA at next summers U-20 World Championships.

I am very excited about the upcoming season and look forward to playing entertaining, attack-minded soccer! Have a great summer and I will stay in close contact. Jeremy Fishbein Lobo Soccer

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April 23, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

Words can't describe the emotions, memories, feelings and love expressed and experienced yesterday at the University of New Mexico Soccer Stadium. We were honored to host the memorial service for Lobo Soccer Player, Patrick Grange, who passed away on April 10th from ALS at the age of 29. Eighteen months ago he was playing soccer with our team, not a worry in the world....soon after, confined to a wheel chair and facing what others said was an incurable disease. Pat handled this challenge with courage, grace, passion and a fighting spirit. The message Sunday rang loud and clear: live every day to the fullest, leave the physical world without regrets and display love and respect to everyone around you. This week has been one of great introspection. What is my role and responsibility as a coach of young men, what is my role in the community and what can be learned from this emotional and surreal experience.

As a men's collegiate coach, your true payoff is not winning matches and championships. Your payoff is seeing your players develop into outstanding individuals, community members, leaders, husbands and fathers. This is what you aspire to be a part of. I am privileged and honored to have shared amazing and life defining moments with my players the past twenty years. We have shared the highest highs and some of the lowest lows (passing of a teammate). While Pat Grange passed away too soon, it was comforting and satisfying to see the thousands of people he touched in his short time on earth.

My relationship with Pat was a light one for the most part, but on occasion, he opened up to me. My last deep conversation with him (one of only two or three) took place less than a year into his battle with ALS. He was adjusting to his motorized wheel chair and his ability to speak was in decline. I was with Pat, his parents and Brandon Moss at the Grange's home. I asked Pat to go outside with me and share a few minutes alone. He hadn't mastered the wheel chair remote controls and was banging into things on his way out. I told him that I felt sorrow that much of our relationship was me pushing him to work harder, be more ambitious....school, relationships, job...... and my hope was that he knew how much I cared about him, loved him and would do anything for him.  We spoke about his life, was he satisfied with what he had accomplished, what he hoped his legacy would be and I asked him if he was afraid of dying. He said he wasn't. The hardest conversation I have ever had with a player. My father is the only other person I have ever asked that question. I am very fortunate to have been intimately connected to Pat and to be a part of his life. Seeing how he managed ALS and how he lived life on his own terms made me proud of him, proud of the man he became and proud to be his coach.

Jeremy Fishbein

Lobo Soccer

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March 28, 2012

Lobo Faithful:

Hope you are enjoying the early days of spring in your neck of the woods. Clear blue sky's and wonderful warm weather here in Albuquerque. I'm real excited about our team.....incredible group! We kicked off our spring campaign in Casa Grande, Arizona two and half weeks ago with two matches vs NASL Professional side, FC Edmonton.  We opened on March 11, with a 0-0 draw and concluded the trip on the 13th, with a disappointing 3-1 loss vs our neighbors from the North. We played very well and had chances to win both games. Our finishing was a bit off and a few youthful mistakes were capitalized on by experienced professional players. These matches were a tremendous way to kick off our spring season and gave an instant introduction to our young boys on what lies ahead. An abbreviated spring break as a result of our travel and the boys have been back at it hard the past two weeks. 

LOBOS VS DEFENDING DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPION, FORT LEWIS COLLEGE, THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 31ST, AT 10:00 AND 3:00 ON ROBERTSON FIELD (SOUTH OF OUR GAME FIELD).

The 10:00 match will be a regulation 90 minutes and the 3:00 contest will be 60 minutes. We travel to Dallas to play SMU on April 14th and will back in New Mexico on SATURDAY, APRIL 21ST, TO PLAY THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY AT 3:30 AT THE TAOS ECO PARK, IN TAOS NEW MEXICO. We will close out our spring schedule in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 29th, with matches vs UC Irvine and UNLV. 

2011 Lobo Captain Lance Rozeboom has experienced the highs and lows of professional sports in the blink of an eye. Lance signed a professional contract with DC United of Major League Soccer three weeks ago and was slated to start his first professional match last Saturday vs the Vancouver Whitecaps. Three days before the game, Lance tore his ACL in a training session tackle. Fortunately, Lance signed a guaranteed contract and will be provided with the best in rehabilitative care. Surgery went well and Lance is motivated to get back on the field prior to the end of the MLS season. Enjoy every day and savor every opportunity.

Lobo freshman, James Rogers, has just been called into training camp with the USA U-20 National Team. James will travel to Portland, Oregon April 9-16th. This is James first call up to a youth national team. I am confident that he will do well and we are all very excited for him. I will keep you posted.

Thanks for all your support and hope to see you at our spring matches. GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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February 17, 2012

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NCAA TOURNAMENT RIDE COMES TO AN UNIMAGINABLE END... UNDEFEATED SEASON FOR THE LOBOS!

November 28, 2011


Lobo Faithful:

A fairytale season ends too early! Incredibly difficult to write this e-mail to the most fantastic group of supporters I have ever been surrounded by and involved with. Much of the teams sorrow, is associated with the feelings and obligation we feel towards our "Lobo Faithful". The outpouring of support, letters, e-mails, match attendance... the entire season has been unbelievable. You have motivated us to achieve what most would say "could never happen" -- an undefeated season. For those who aren't aware, our season came to an unimaginable end yesterday in Tampa, Florida. 110 minutes (90 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime) of fiercely contested "end-to-end" action. South Florida had a good bit of the play in the first half, but the Lobos took over in the second half and overtime. I thought we were going to "close things out" during the final 20 minutes, out-shooting USF 4-0 in overtime, but the ball didn't find the back of the net. The game was officially declared a tie after 110 scoreless minutes, but a penalty kick shootout would determine which team would advance to the NCAA "Elite 8". The shootout went eight rounds with South Florida coming out on top. We finished the season with a record of 18 wins, 0 defeats and four ties. An undefeated season. With our two exhibition victories, the boys played 24 matches without a loss. Incredible maturity, focus, discipline and senior leadership -- every day and every game. I can't say enough about this group and the standard that they have set for our program. Seniors Lance Rozeboom and Mike Green were fantastic the entire season and leave an incredible legacy. Not sure what else to say right now. Thanks for everything and for making the New Mexico Soccer experience so special for everyone. The bar has been set high! Here is the match re-cap from our webpage: Undefeated Lobos Knocked Out of NCAA in Penalty Kick Loss.

Once things settle down and we all catch our breath, I will send out a more detailed e-mail outlining the season and what lies ahead. Thanks for all the support and GO LOBOS!
Jeremy Fishbein

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October 3, 2011

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Aug. 22, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

Still 0-0-0... preseason wins don't count for much. New Mexico Men's Soccer kicks off the regular season this Friday night, Aug. 26th against Towson University at 7 p.m. under the lights of the UNM Soccer Complex. This past Saturday night we played our 2nd and final exhibition match against the Golden Hurricanes of Tulsa University. Tulsa has been a perennial "Top 20" team and this year they are once again regarded highly in the national polls. After a comfortable 2-0 win over Grand Canyon last Thursday, our boys were excited for a great challenge and anticipated a high-powered match. Its been all soccer for the past 11 days and reality hit everyone hard this morning - the illusion that they were professional soccer players is over. Classes started today with homework starting tonight. The challenge is to balance academics, social life and soccer. You can be really good at two of the three, and the plan is for them to be outstanding students and athletes.

RECAP: New Mexico Lobos vs. Tulsa University Golden Hurricane - Saturday, Aug. 20, 7 p.m.

The early goings belonged to the Lobos. Entering the match, our plan for the first 10 minutes was to press Tulsa high, get in behind their back four and display a great deal of energy and tenacity. If you missed the first 10 minutes, you missed some exciting soccer! Less than a minute into the match, we combined on the right flank and created a great opportunity - barely wide of the mark. In the 6th minute, Laurence Robledo beat one with a great first touch and the second off the dribble for his second goal of the exhibition season. 1-0 Lobos. Three minutes later, after relentless pressure, a Tulsa defender committed a handball in the box. Penalty kick. Lance Rozeboom slotted it away. 2-0 Lobos. In the 16th minute, Blake Smith split the Hurricane defense and scored an excellent goal, his second of the preseason. 3-0 Lobos after 16 minutes. A 3-0 lead is a pretty comfortable one, maybe too comfortable. Our players took their feet off the gas, too much so. We made some changes and didn't generate the same kind of energy for the remainder of the half. At halftime, we spoke of the importance of the first 10 minutes in the second stanza. Seven minutes in, we gave up a sloppy direct kick from just outside of our box. Left-footed rocket. 3-1 Lobos. Our goal was to preserve the shutout and display maturity in managing the match, but that didn't happen as planned. Tulsa had a bit of a run, but we got the match back under control and created a few more excellent chances. 3-1 final with things still to work on. We had a 21-12 advantage in shots and an 8-0 advantage in corner kicks. All in all, it's hard to not be happy with the result. We scored goals and 21 players saw action, with the other two unable to play with minor injuries. Competition for playing time is going to be fierce. As a coach, this is a good problem to have, but a difficult one. Check out the golobos.com game recap and box score here: Fire in the First Half Fuels Lobos to Victory.

Remember, the season opener is this Friday night, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. at the UNM Soccer Complex against Towson university out of Maryland.

Thanks for your continued support. GO LOBOS! Jeremy Fishbein

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Aug. 19, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

The 2011 University of New Mexico Soccer Season has officially kicked off! Lobo Soccer faced its first outside competition (we've been kicking ourselves the past week) of the season last night in Grand Canyon University under the lights of the Lobo Soccer Complex. It was a beautiful evening with the threat of rain and lightning lingering throughout the match. The elements proved to be kind, the playing surface was a carpet and the atmosphere was tremendous for an exhibition game. It was the first of two exhibition matches prior to our season opener against Towson University on Aug. 26. Thursday was our ninth day together as a new team (pre-season camp kicked off on Aug. 10) and we displayed both great promise and early season challenges. As a coach, you have a clear vision of how you want to play, you have high expectations for your players and you want everything to go right from minute one. You quickly learn and realize that you only have limited control and things rarely go smoothly in the early goings. Twenty-one players (the three others rostered are currently resting minor injuries) saw the field last night, 10 making their debuts as Lobos. Everyone showed great promise and the ability to play at the highest level of Division I soccer. Our challenge is to find the best combination of players, maintain focus, keep everyone engaged and focused on continual development as young men and as a team. Its going to be an exciting season!

RECAP: AUGUST 18TH - NEW MEXICO LOBOS vs. GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY

I was very happy with the squad we put on the field to start the match: (back to front) Vic Rodriguez in the net, Kiwi freshman Mattie Gibbons on the left, Levi Rossi on the right and Kyle Venter and Travis Campbell filling out the center of our back line. Mike Green and Lance Rozeboom anchored the center of our midfield with Blake Smith and red-shirt freshman Javier Gomez on the flanks. Devon Sandoval played as the high striker with freshman James Rogers in behind. Three newcomers in Rogers, Gibbons and Gomez started the match and saw their first minutes as Lobos. We created several quality chances in the early going, but didn't capitalize. GCU tightened up their defense, dropped their back line deep and really packed it in with a compact block of eight defenders. Any space behind or centrally located disappeared. The challenge was to remain patient, possess with rapid ball speed and not lose focus in allowing counter attacks or set piece opportunities. We had several great sequences throughout the half, but didn't fill the net. In the later stages of the half, Lawrence Robledo, red-shirt freshman Carson Baldinger and red-shirt freshman Giovanni Rollie saw their first minutes of the season. We made some changes at the half, with red-shirt freshman Patrick Poblete manning the pipes in place of Rodriguez. Seven minutes into the second half, our efforts were rewarded. Great combination play from Blake Smith and Carson Baldinger with Blake Smith slotting the opening goal of our season. 1-0 Lobos. We really began to find our playing rhythm and moved the ball quickly and skillfully. Michael Kafari and freshman Adrian Mora Delgado "El Tico" took over the central midfield duties with Patrick Pacheco and Lawrence Robledo running the flanks. In the 74th minute, Lawrence Robledo put us up 2-0 with a splitting run and clinical finish. The final 16 minutes were action packed with dynamic attacking play from our boys. The ball was buzzing and GCU packed it in tighter and defended with their lives. Delgado rang the crossbar with a 20 yard blast, but the defense somehow held. We finished with a 2-0 final score and our supporters left the stadium excited by the promise of an action-packed season. Click the following link for the golobos.com game recap: Lobos Blank Grand Canyon in Opening Exhibition of 2011 Season.

Great match this Saturday night, August 20th at the Lobo Soccer Complex. #26 Lobos vs #15 ranked Tulsa Hurricanes: 7:00 pm. This will be the final exhibition prior to our season opener on the 26th. Tulsa is one of the most exciting attacking  teams in the country.....lots of fire-power from both team in what should prove to be a tremendous match-up! Thanks for your support and GO LOBOS!

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Aug. 15, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

Hope your summer has been a great one! The New Mexico men's soccer season opener is right around the corner. I've switched to an Apple computer and have changed my e-mail account (same address) with the hope of making life easier in terms of technology and my ability to disseminate information - my Achilles heal so to speak. Where to start? We've just completed our first week of pre-season training and I couldn't be happier and more excited about our team. It's comprised of a tremendous group of young men, outstanding leadership, exciting newcomers, a real sense of passion and a commitment to EXCELLENCE. Our returning players have worked hard over the summer and haven't missed a beat from where we left off in May. The seven incoming freshmen bring a new freshness to the team and several will play significant roles this season. All are excellent students and high level players. We also have two new international players who weren't previously mentioned with our other signess, and Nicklas Savvolineon from Sweden will not be with us this fall. Both Adrian Mora Delgado from Costa Rica and Matt Gibbons from New Zealand played for their respective countries' Youth National Teams and both have quickly adjusted to their new surroundings and teammates (though they haven't tried green chile yet.) An article featured on golobos.com talks about Adrian and Matt and their unique connection to each other prior to their coming to New Mexico. The full article is available at this link Lobo Men's Soccer Brings Former International Rivals Together. This is the site to check out for all of the most updated articles on Lobo Men's Soccer. Here is the link to our full roster for the upcoming season: 2011 Lobo Men's Soccer Roster.

Some important dates for your calendar:

Thursday, August 18th, 7 p.m. - First exhibition match of the year against Grand Canyon University at the Lobo Soccer Stadium.

Saturday, August 20th, 7 p.m. - Exhibition match against tenth-ranked Tulsa University at the Lobo Soccer Stadium.

Friday, August 26th, 7 p.m. - Regular season home opener against Towson University at the Lobo Soccer Stadium.

Friday, September 16th, 5 p.m. (MT) - New Mexico vs. no. 2 Akron on the Fox Soccer Channel. The match will be played in Akron, Ohio.

This year more than ever, we need your support and need you to join our booster club, The Golden Goal Club. 100% of membership dollars go directly to Lobo men's soccer. You can find more information about the program in our Golden Goal Club brochure, available at the following links: Golden Goal Club (front) and Golden Goal Club (back).

Thanks for your tremendous support and see you August 18th at our first match.GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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May 3, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

Returned from Las Vegas last night after wrapping up a very successful winter/spring campaign. The Lobos played two hard fought matches on Saturday, April 30th, finishing up our 10-match spring season with a record of 5-1-4, with the lone defeat coming from Edmonton FC, a second division professional side. While I'm not happy about the four ties, I think we would have won the majority of these matches had we played overtime. In terms of development and growth, this was possibly the best off-season the Lobo program has ever experienced. I can't say enough about our boys commitment to EXCELLENCE!

We brought a small squad to Vegas and faced the challenge of two tough matches in one day. This was our final spring date of competition and we felt great about the training and commitment of our players. The young boys have really grown over the past 3 1/2 months: physically, mentally, technically and tactically. We annually put our players through one of the most challenging winter/springs in the country. This is the foundation which our program is built on.

First match of the day was against Cal State Fullerton. A quality team from the Big West. We had a tremendous opening 20 minutes and were rewarded with a goal from Devon Sandoval with the assist from Lawrence Robledo. We created chance after chance and finally found the net. In the 40th minute a long ball bounded into our box and Fullerton picked up a secondary ball and hit a laser from 30 yards to tie the game. Unfortunate, but we should have done better with the clearance and positioning for the second ball. Fullerton's only chance of the half and an incredible finish. We went up 2-1 in the 65th minute when freshman Carson Baldinger hit a one-time ball at the top of the box off a centering/dropped pass from Levi Rossi. Tremendous poise and quality finish. Baldinger is special in front of the net and is coming back to form after redshirting this fall coming off meniscus surgery. In the 89th minute, Fullerton had a long throw-in find a runner on the far post to tie the game. Our goalkeeper was pinned and we lost our mark. Closing out games has been our challenge. No overtime was played. Disappointing finish to a great performance from our team. Had we finished our numerous chances, the game wouldn't have been close. As long as we continue to allow lesser teams to stay in matches, anything can happen. Mental focus for 90 minutes is required to be great! This being said, we played everyone with Holmes and Rodriguez splitting time in goal. Great goal from Baldinger. Expect many more from Devon Sandoval and Carson Baldinger!

Second match of the day was vs. UC Irvine. Another very competitive southern California team from the Big West. We came out slow the first 15 minutes with heavy legs, this being our second match of the day. We failed to connect our passes in the early going and chased the ball like chickens. The team was ignited by freshman Michael Kafari at the 15 minute mark, when he put in a bone-crunching tackle, came away with possession and initiated a counter attack. From this moment, we got a hold of the game and in the 18th minute Lawrence Robledo scored on a first-time ball inside the six-yard box, with the assist coming from Devon Sandoval. Twelve minutes later, great individual work on the right flank by freshman Riley McGovern found Devon Sandovalfar post for an easy tap-in to make it 2-0 Lobos. Irvine capitalized on an uncharacteristic Lobo mistake in the midfield in the later moments of the game to cut the lead in half, but the match ended 2-1 Lobos. Poblete and Lane split time in goal for the Lobos.

Quality day and great way to finish up a tremendous spring season. Thanks for all your support the past nine months and be prepared for an action packed 2011! The season opening match will be played on Friday, August 26th vs. Towson University at Lobo Stadium. I will get the schedule out to you in the next couple of weeks. Have a wonderful summer and GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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May 1, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

Returned from Las Vegas last night after wrapping up a very successful winter/spring campaign. The Lobos played two hard fought matches on Saturday, April 30th, finishing up our 10-match spring season with a record of 5-1-4, with the lone defeat coming from Edmonton FC, a second division professional side. While I'm not happy about the four ties, I think we would have won the majority of these matches had we played overtime. In terms of development and growth, this was possibly the best off-season the Lobo program has ever experienced. I can't say enough about our boys commitment to EXCELLENCE!

We brought a small squad to Vegas and faced the challenge of two tough matches in one day. This was our final spring date of competition and we felt great about the training and commitment of our players. The young boys have really grown over the past 3 1/2 months: physically, mentally, technically and tactically. We annually put our players through one of the most challenging winter/springs in the country. This is the foundation which our program is built on.

First match of the day was against Cal State Fullerton. A quality team from the Big West. We had a tremendous opening 20 minutes and were rewarded with a goal from Devon Sandoval with the assist from Lawrence Robledo. We created chance after chance and finally found the net. In the 40th minute a long ball bounded into our box and Fullerton picked up a secondary ball and hit a laser from 30 yards to tie the game. Unfortunate, but we should have done better with the clearance and positioning for the second ball. Fullerton's only chance of the half and an incredible finish. We went up 2-1 in the 65th minute when freshman Carson Baldinger hit a one-time ball at the top of the box off a centering/dropped pass from Levi Rossi. Tremendous poise and quality finish. Baldinger is special in front of the net and is coming back to form after redshirting this fall coming off meniscus surgery. In the 89th minute, Fullerton had a long throw-in find a runner on the far post to tie the game. Our goalkeeper was pinned and we lost our mark. Closing out games has been our challenge. No overtime was played. Disappointing finish to a great performance from our team. Had we finished our numerous chances, the game wouldn't have been close. As long as we continue to allow lesser teams to stay in matches, anything can happen. Mental focus for 90 minutes is required to be great! This being said, we played everyone with Holmes and Rodriguez splitting time in goal. Great goal from Baldinger. Expect many more from Devon Sandoval and Carson Baldinger!

Second match of the day was vs. UC Irvine. Another very competitive southern California team from the Big West. We came out slow the first 15 minutes with heavy legs, this being our second match of the day. We failed to connect our passes in the early going and chased the ball like chickens. The team was ignited by freshman Michael Kafari at the 15 minute mark, when he put in a bone-crunching tackle, came away with possession and initiated a counter attack. From this moment, we got a hold of the game and in the 18th minute Lawrence Robledo scored on a first-time ball inside the six-yard box, with the assist coming from Devon Sandoval. Twelve minutes later, great individual work on the right flank by freshman Riley McGovern found Devon Sandoval far post for an easy tap-in to make it 2-0 Lobos. Irvine capitalized on an uncharacteristic Lobo mistake in the midfield in the later moments of the game to cut the lead in half, but the match ended 2-1 Lobos. Poblete and Lane split time in goal for the Lobos.

Quality day and great way to finish up a tremendous spring season. Thanks for all your support the past nine months and be prepared for an action packed 2011! The season opening match will be played on Friday, August 26th vs. Towson University at Lobo Stadium. I will get the schedule out to you in the next couple of weeks. Have a wonderful summer and GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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April 27, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

This past weekend was the was the highlight of my coaching career! I say this with complete sincerity. Lobo Men's Soccer hosted a banquet/fund-raiser for Alum Patrick Grange (diagnosed with ALS five months ago) on Friday night, April 22nd and hosted a silent auction/fund-raiser/alumni vs current Lobo match on Saturday the 23rd at the Lobo Soccer Stadium.

The banquet on the 22nd was a fairly intimate affair attended by 150 alumni, current team members and family, the Grange family and friends of the program. In addition to honoring Patrick Grange, we recognized Tom and Donna Ashwill (parents of alum Ben Ashwill who passed away in January of 2010), this years six seniors: Michael Reed, James Urbany, Ryan Farquharson, Andrew Parsons, David Murphy and Matt Armstrong and the 50 alumni in attendance. Stories were shared on Friday night, tears were shed and everyone came together as one big family and the shared energy was amazing. This is what Lobo Soccer is about: loyalty, helping a friend in need and coming together when times are tough.

Saturday nights silent auction/Grange Family fund-raiser/ALS fund-raiser/Alumni Game was attended by 3,000 Lobo Soccer Family members! Over $35,000 was raised for the Grange Family and for ALS research. Breath-taking!! If you weren't in attendance, words can't express the event. 3,000 people shared this wonderful evening with Pat, his family and our entire program. I've never felt this way in my 19 years of coaching. I was speechless. I felt completely fulfilled. This was beyond wins and losses....it was unbelievable and everyone shared in this feeling. A couple of links about the event are included here: a television piece on the event and some of the highlights from the match, both posted to Youtube. And here is a great article and photo galleryfrom our website.

Former Lobo soccer player and current Assistant Men's Soccer Coach, Brandon Moss, spearheaded both events and special thanks go out to Brandon's parents Wayne and Marcee Moss and his in-laws, Al and Cherri Porter, parents of former Lobo soccer player, Michael Porter. The entire event was staffed by volunteers and everything went flawlessly. This is the true spirit of the people of New Mexico! Please have a look at the video and photos. The entire Albuquerque community came together to share in this event. Volunteers and donors to the silent auction and game came out of the woodwork and people couldn't do enough. Thanks go out to all of you. I can't tell you how lucky I feel to be a part of LOBO SOCCER.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein

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April 14, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

Hope this e-mail finds everyone enjoying the spring weather and the promise of a tremendous summer. All is well with New Mexico Lobo Men's Soccer. Wanted to touch base about our big fund-raiser on Saturday, April 23rd at 6:30 at the Lobo Soccer Stadium, for Lobo Soccer Alum Patrick Grange/ALS Research. Patrick finished his Lobo career in 2004 and four months ago was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). We are playing a benefit match against our alumni (four former MLS players and recent graduates) on the 23rd and will also host a silent auction with proceeds going to the Grange Family, ALS Research and Lobo Soccer. We have jerseys signed by Christiano Ronaldo, Kaka, FC Dallas, Seattle Souders, golf packages, airline tickets etc. All items will be on display two hours prior to the game or you can contact Coach Brandon Moss at bmoss@unm.edu for specifics or if you'd like to bid over the phone. This will be an incredible event and I hope everyone in town can attend and support the cause.

Lobo Men's Soccer is 4-1-1 this spring. Last weekend we played an action packed match vs Creighton University in Denver, Colorado. For those who have tried to forget, Crieghton defeated us soundly in the NCAA Tournament last year. The Blue Jays lost only one player to graduation and we fielded a very different and new line-up for the match. After 90 hard fought minutes, the Lobos came out on top 1-0 with a 71st minute goal from Blake Smith. Great win for us and a great opportunity for three players who redshirted this fall to see "big game action". The future looks bright!

On Saturday, April 16th, the Lobos face Denver University in Taos, New Mexico at 4:00 pm. We are the opening match of the new Taos Eco Park (read about Taos Eco Park right here). Taos Eco Park is a state of the art synthetic field which has received a FIFA 2-star rating. One of only four fields in the USA with this designation. This is going to be a great match, with two 2010 NCAA Tournament teams fighting for Regional bragging rights. Hope you can make it to Taos for this one!

Thanks for all your support and hope to see you in Taos and at the ALS Fundraiser on the 23rd. GO LOBOS! Jeremy Fishbein

2011 REMAINING LOBO SOCCER SPRING MATCHES

-Saturday April 16th: 4:00 vs Denver University in Taos at Taos Eco Park
-Saturday April 23rd: 6:30 vs Alumni at Lobo Stadium
-Saturday April 30th: 8:00 am vs California Irvine and 2:00 vs Fullerton in Las Vegas, Nevada at UNLV

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March 23, 2011

Lobo Faithful:

New Mexico Men's Soccer is back at it...full speed! Three spring matches under our belt, spring break survived, warm weather, sunny sky's and five dates of competition remaining. We have a lot going on the next six weeks: April 23rd fund-raiser for ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease and Alumni Patrick Grange and our Golden Goal Club Spring fund-raising drive.

March 10 and 12th we opened our spring playing season in Casa Grande,Arizona with two matches vs Edmonton FC from Canada (NASL Professional team) and a single match vs Grand Canyon University played in Phoenix. We kicked things off the morning of the 10th against Edmonton. First game of the season and the end result was 1-1. I thought our boys showed well in their first test as a new team. Four redshirt freshmen saw their first collegiate action and we played well against a seasoned professional team. The recap is here

March 12th would prove to be a real test: 10:30 match vs Edmonton and 7:00 match vs Grand Canyon. The evening match was intended to be a real mental and physical test, seeing as GCU would be fully rested. The morning match proved to be a challenging one. Edmonton scored two goals off set pieces in the opening 35 minutes. Impatient defending on our part and poor marking on the ensuing direct kick and corner. We were punished for our two mental mistakes. Great teaching points and areas we will get much better at. We played well in the run of play and scored in the 40th minute to make it 2-1 at halftime. We opened the second half very well and gave several young players their first run. Two more mistakes which can be chalked up to youth and early season jitters and Edmonton finished their chances. Tough result, but not indicative of our play. Our opponents were professionals and their experience, physical maturity and focus showed. Two great games to open up our spring. The evening match vs Grand Canyon was an opportunity to give several players their first taste of collegiate competition. A tough match physically and mentally with the Lobos coming out on top 2-0. Our coaching staff was pleased with the trip and felt valuable lessons were learned. We returned to Albuquerque on Sunday the 13th and the boys took off for spring break. Click hereto read the recaps of the two matches.

On Saturday, April 23rd at 6:30 pm, our program will be hosting a fund-raising event for ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease and former Lobo Soccer Player Patrick Grange (2004). Pat was diagnosed with ALS six months ago at the age of 28. Our current team will face our alumni in the Lobo Soccer Stadium. The alumni team will feature four former MLS players and will provide a great test to our team. Here is the link to the event: GO LOBOS!
Jeremy Fishbein
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October 12, 2010Lobo Faithful:

Not sure where to start? I've done my soul-searching, I've climbed the highest mountain, I've reviewed the statistics, I've cried to my mom.....I've worn my kids silly bands for good luck, I haven't changed my socks ....this past weekend was dreadful. Yes, we have great young men on our team: they work hard, they are good friends to each other, they are talented, they care, they are good students, they are involved in the community...they do things right. Why aren't we finishing opportunities and winning more games? The obvious answer isn't that obvious. The man piloting the ship is me and I need to do a better job. This needs to be my initial reaction: blaming the players isn't the answer. Probably too hard on myself, but I need to do a better job on several levels. I need to eliminate outside distractions and be focused on keeping things simple and efficient. Too much managing and not enough hand's on getting after it! This being said, the boys need to re-gain their confidence, need to have fun and play to win, rather than play to not lose. The loss of Ryan Farquharson (broken leg) is greater than anticipated. Ryan was our most physically dominant player and led by example each and every day. Without Ryan, a great deal of the weight in terms of leadership, has fallen on Michael Reed. Our entire team must carry the load, not Reed. If I didn't mention it, we lost both matches at home this past weekend. This has never happened at home! We out-shot both teams, dominated the vast majority of play, but didn't put either game away. The positive, is that we still have 7 regular season matches remaining and then the conference tournament. The tournament winner receiving the automatic NCAA bid. I fully expect us to turn things around, win the conference and go to the NCAA Tournament. Anything less, will be a disappointment. Here are my brief run downs on the weekends games:

LOBOS VS DENVER UNIVERSITY: Friday, October 8th, 7:00 PM
LOBOTV HIGHLIGHTS: Denver 1, UNM 0

We came out very strong, but didn't put the ball in the net the first half. Second half was all Lobos, but couldn't finish. In the 65th minute, Denver had their lone shot of the half. Service from deep, defender lost his mark...open header: 1-0 Denver. Our keeper didn't make a single save the entire second half and only one the first half (they had one shot on goal the entire game). We out-shot Denver 21-4 for the game. 8-2 advantage in corner kicks. We lost 1-0. We attacked well, played in Denver's half, created chances, had corner kicks...no goals and gave up a soft one. Incredible!

LOBOS VS AIR FORCE: Sunday, October 10th, 1:00 PM
LOBOTV HIGHLIGHTS: Air Force 3, UNM 2

This was a must win match. We came out well, but played a bit tight. Understandable, but we are too good to play this way. We out shot Air Force 12-2 in the first half, but didn't finish. 6 minutes into the second half, Michael Reed hit a great right footed shot to put us on the scoreboard. 1-0 Lobos and looking good. In the 71st minute, against the run of play, the ball bounced to an Air Force attacker on the right side of our goal about 25 yards out. He beat two defenders off the dribble, our center back stepped late and he hit a far post blast to even the score 1-1. We stayed composed, but two minutes later, a shot from deep and our GK bobbled the shot, follow-up, 2-1 Air Force. 16 minutes remaining and I still felt confident. Four minutes later against the run of play, great shot from 25 yards, 3-1 Air Force. Bad dream? Three goals in 6 minutes. Never has happened to a team I've been involved with as a player or coach. We kept fighting and got a goal back in the final minute to make it 3-2. Out-shot Air Force 22-14, 4-1 Corners.....the statistics do lie! A very bad loss!!

Where to go now? Crazy scheduling by the conference office; we play Denver, in Denver Friday night and Air Force in Colorado Springs on Sunday. I am ready to go right now. What a test for all of us. I believe in our boys and am excited to just get out and play. No more worries about rankings, seedings....lets just get after it. I think you will see some good results this weekend and a focused Lobo team the remainder of the year. Thanks for all your support. GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein
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Lobo Faithful:

Oct. 5, 2010

Lobo Men's Soccer opened conference play last weekend with our first of ten conference matches. After a tremendous three-game preseason and seven match non-conference schedule, we embark on the journey which will decide our post season fate! The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), has grown into an eight-member soccer conference: two four-team divisions. Each team will play a double round robin in division and will play each non-division member one time. A conference tournament will be played at the conclusion of the regular season with the tournament winner getting the automatic NCAA Tournament bid. Our division consists of UNLV, Denver, Air Force and New Mexico. Non-division opponents are Seattle, Bakersfield, San Jose and Sacramento State. Ten games, all against hungry, quality opponents. We have a target on our chest and we always get our opponents best performance! Things kicked off last Friday night at home vs UNLV.

LOBOS VS UNLV: Friday, October 1st 7:00 PM Albuquerque New Mexico

UNLV is always a very dangerous team. Very talented players who can cause you great problems if they have time on the ball and stay organized. This years Rebel team is no different: excellent attacking players who come alive when on the ball. Defensively, not as excited or organized. Great environment for a collegiate match: 2,600 fans, perfect weather and the excitement of playing under the lights. This would be the marque match of UNLV's season in terms of environment. They were up for the challenge! UNLV played a very offensive 3-5-2 formation, attacked with six players and always kept players high regardless of possession. Dangerous in transition and attack minded. The Rebels "Live or die by the sword", the sword being goal scoring and attacking play. We came out focused and fresh. Fifteen minutes in, we were rewarded with a tremendous goal from sophomore, Patrick Pacheco. Great individual work to create an unassisted goal from the right hand side. 1-0 Lobos. We got hold of the match and created some quality chances, but couldn't put the crucial second goal away. The fear of a one-goal lead is that your opponent is always one lucky strike or deflection away from evening things up. In the 73rd minute...... UNLV's forward hit an incredible shot....nothing we could do about it...top right corner and our GK could only wave as it sailed by. It was 1-1 with 17 minutes remaining. The game went from comfortable to stressful in a matter of seconds. What an incredible strike from distance! We created some chances in the waning minutes, but regulation ended even, 1-1. The boys were confident entering overtime, but one never knows when it's sudden death. Nine minutes into the first overtime, senior Michael Reed beat two player off the dribble and played a beautiful pass to junior Michael Green. Green slotted the ball away with seconds left on the clock to win the match in thrilling fashion. An important win and a reminder that every game is going to be a war!

LOBO TV: Highlights of New Mexico's Win Over UNLV

This weekend we play two more at home: Denver on Friday night the 8th and Air Force on Sunday the 10th. We will get two players back for the remainder of the season. Blake Smith has been cleared to play after breaking his collar bone in our final exhibition match vs Fort Lewis and Levi Rossi is back after a Four-game absence due to sickness. We will be a much more dynamic and well-rounded team. Hope to see everyone this Friday night at 7 p.m. and GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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Lobo Faithful:

September 29, 2010

I received a great e-mail from friend and leadership consultant, Brian Cooke yesterday. The timing was right and the theme really hit home. In his e-mail, Brian said "One of the hallmarks of the happiest, healthiest and most successful leaders I know, is their skill, ability and unwavering commitment to be positive, generous and appreciative no matter whether they are winning or losing." Brian also posed the question "How well do you recognize and express daily appreciation for your many privileges and good fortune?"

Last weekend was quite an experience for our team. We traveled across the country to Hannover, New Hampshire to play Dartmouth College. A very difficult journey, but a tremendous test for our team. The significant event of the trip wasn't the game itself, but the horrible injury incurred by one of our senior captains, Ryan Farquharson. Early in the second half, Ryan went in for a tackle and broke his leg. Saying it was only a break, is an understatement. A total break of his tibia and fibula, both compound fractures. The game was stopped for 20 minutes and an ambulance came on the field and took Ryan directly to the hospital. The 20 minutes I spent hugging Ryan while waiting for the ambulance was surreal. I've spent hundreds of hours with him over the past three and a half years. Good times and bad. The whole spectrum of emotions was covered in what seemed a lifetime. When outlining practice last night and penciling in who would play where I was about to pencil in his name, as this is what I've done for four years, and I remembered that he wouldn't be practicing with us again. Incredible! Ryan was unable to fly back with the team and underwent successful surgery on Sunday and returned to Albuquerque on Tuesday. Ryan is one of the most dedicated and focused individuals I have ever coached. A tremendous student and one of the fittest, strongest and toughest players on our team. A role model for what a college athlete should be. To see his senior season ended in this fashion was devastating to all of us.

Click HEREfor the Men's Soccer Golden Goal Club Brochure.

LOBOS VS DARTMOUTH COLLEGE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, 5:00 PM

We never showed up against Dartmouth. This was our 10th match of the year (3 exhibitions and our 7th regular season match) and it was the first time we played poorly. I can't blame the travel, the opponent....no excuses. This being said, we had our chances and failed to convert. In the 80th minute, Dartmouth scored off a corner kick to win the match. Incredibly disappointing, but a game we must use as a learning tool. Dartmouth was very defensive and direct. They played to their strengths and were very intelligent in their decision making. Their chances came off of our mistakes. Rather than look for excuses, we are moving forward as a team. We are now onto conference play. A 10 game season with the first three matches at home. We open conference play this Friday night vs UNLV at 7:00 PM. Our boys will be ready and are motivated to get back on the playing field. Thanks for your support and see you Friday night. GO LOBOS!

Jeremy Fishbein

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September 22, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

Quite a weekend of soccer at the University of New Mexico Soccer Complex. Two big matches for the Lobos, two shut-outs, but not the final results we were looking for. The Harvard match on Sunday, would be our fifth match out of six, facing a "Top 25" opponent. The players on our team are wonderful to coach. Their passion, commitment, drive and desire are infectious. We play attractive, athletic, entertaining, skillful and attacking soccer. This being said, you can attack all day long, but the ball has to hit the back of the net to win matches!

Click HEREfor the Men's Soccer Golden Goal Club Brochure.

If you aren't a current member of the Golden Goal Club, we need you on board! The only way we can continue to compete at our current level, is with your support. Lobo Men's Soccer receives 100% of proceeds received through Golden Goal Club membership.

Coach Brandon Moss has taken Lobo Soccer into the 21st Century with our Lobo Men's Soccer Twitter Account. I'm still not sure what Twitter is, but every article written about our team, exclusive "Off the Pitch" videos with current Lobo players and Lobo TV video links can all be found at twitter.com/lobomenssoccer. Have a look and get the inside scoop on Lobo Soccer and all the inside news.

LOBOS VS UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 7:00 PM

The University of Buffalo traveled quite a distance to participate in the Nike/Lobo Invitational. Two great games against Far West opponents; New Mexico and Santa Barbara. Buffalo entered our match with a three game win streak and a reputation as an athletic and talented team. Great crowd of 2400 and our boys were up for the competition. Our goal going into the weekend was to tighten up our defense, keep possession of the ball and work on our transition game. Buffalo made things difficult, in that they played a very defensive game and rarely attacked with more than three players and usually defended with 10. While we enjoyed the majority of the possession, we didn't find the net until the 42nd minute when freshman defender Kyle Venter played a beautiful ball into the box which was redirected by sophomore Josh Caffey,into the back of the net to make it 1-0 Lobos going into the half. The second half saw the Lobos keep the ball, create opportunities, but play very conservatively. While not the most exciting soccer, I thought we played a very mature game and never left ourselves open for a counter attack. While out shooting Buffalo 8-2 and possessing a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks, we failed to score a second goal and the match ended 1-0 Lobos with Victor Rodriguez getting the shut-out in goal (first start of his career). The victory set up the marque match of the tournament for us, #6 Harvard on Sunday.

Lobos vs #6 HARVARD: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH, 12:00 NOON

A lot of emotions involved in this game. Harvard's rookie head coach, Carl Junot, walked the Lobo sidelines for 7 years as an assistant coach and associate head coach. I enjoyed every day during the 7 years we worked together. Carl was instrumental in all the success we've had as a program. I can't say enough about Carl and what a great coach, friend, husband and father he is. As soon as he was offered the head job at Haavaad, Carl brought Mike Graczyk on as his assistant coach. Mike spent five years as a Lobo net minder and was one of the finest young men and goalkeepers I have ever coached. Mike served as a team captain and led our program to the NCAA National Championship Match in 2005. Mike will become a tremendous head coach if this is the path he chooses. All this being said about Carl and Mike....I wanted to kick their #@$! The boys were up for this game. Focused and ready! The first half started out very well for us with several chances created by our attacking players in the early going. Harvard then settled in and played a great first half. They pressed us high up the field and their back line squeezed play and didn't let us find space in behind. We failed to find a passing rhythm and didn't turn their back four around. Shots were pretty even and neither team created great chances. We identified our weaknesses at half time and the second half saw a different Lobo Team. It was one-way traffic the second half. We out-shot the Crimson 11-1 and peppered their goal. What a performance from their keeper. We missed several great chances and couldn't put them away. After an excruciating 20 minutes of overtime, the score remained 0-0. What a game emotionally and physically. As it turned out, Harvard missed their flight and were forced to spend an extra night. Most college students would be pumped. Not these boys. They had the books out and weren't going to fall behind. Missing a day of class would be hard to make up. I got to spend some time with their team and can't tell you how impressed I was by them. Very mature, intelligent and appreciative young men. They all said Harvard was pretty tough! The best part of Harvard missing their flight, was that I got to go to dinner with Carl, his parents, his brother Bill, who I coached for two years (one at Incarnate Word and one year at UNM), my family and my mom. My daughter Alisa, said she was glad it was a tie. I guess if we were to tie anyone, it would have to be Carl and Mike.

Click HEREfor video highlights from the Harvard match

"Live Free or Die"! Off to the great state of New Hampshire to face Dartmouth College (founded 1769) this Saturday at 7:00. Our second Ivy League opponent and our final non-conference match of the regular season. Dartmouth is a perennial NCAA Tournament Team and will provide another great challenge for our team. Thanks for your support and GO LOBOS!

Click HEREfor coach Fishbein's Tuesday press conference.

Jeremy Fishbein

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Sept. 15, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

The reality that our team is mortal, soccer is a cruel game and "the better team doesn't always win" has finally sunk in. 46 hours since our match vs the University of Portland and I'm finally ready to move on. Losing really hits me hard....maybe too hard. Initially, I am in denial and am numb to reality. I usually fall asleep fairly easily, but then wake up around 2 or 3 in the morning (1:43 this Monday morning to be exact). Tossing and turning and reviewing the costly sequence of plays over and over and over and over.....again.

We played very well Friday vs #16 Georgetown, defeating the Hoyas 3-1. We were prepared and excited for this match against the #16th ranked team and took care of business. 4400 loud and supportive fans in attendance, great energy and a tremendous atmosphere for a soccer match at any level: collegiate or professional. Went up 3-0 and gave away a late goal to make things look a bit closer than they actually were.

Click HEREfor Georgetown Video Highlights.

Sunday's game vs #18 Portland was the killer. An afternoon game without the same electricity: a loyal crowd of 2400 in the stands, very hot with the sun beating down and the players legs still a bit heavy. We talked about the challenges and our boys were ready. We out shot Portland, 17-4, had a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks, our GK made 1 save and Portland's GK made 6.....the stats show total domination, but the result shows otherwise. A cruel, cruel game!

Click HEREfor Portland Video Highlights.

Box scores and game recaps can be found by clicking HERE.

Before I forget, I am posting the link HEREto the PDF for our Golden Goal Club. The Golden Goal Club is our men's soccer booster club. Money goes directly to our program and we really need your help to keep things moving forward with our program. We need your support!! Our goal is to run the best program in the country. Without the support generated by the Golden Goal Club, we can't continue to move forward.

We have great games ahead of us and it doesn't get any easier. The next two are at home ... Friday night vs Buffalo and Sunday vs #6 Harvard. You have to play the best to be the BEST! The ultimate site to keep up to date on Lobo Men's Soccer is our Twitter account. Sign up at the link at the top of the page! Thanks for your continued support and see you this Friday night!

GO LOBOS!
Jeremy Fishbein

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Sept. 8, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

TWO BIG HOME MATCHES THIS WEEKEND at the New Mexico Lobo Soccer Complex. Friday night, September 10th at 7:00 p.m. vs #16-ranked Georgetown and Sunday, September 12th at 1:00 p.m. vs #18-ranked Portland. Come support your LOBOS!

Here is the linkto the most recent Lobo Soccer Video taken during our match vs Santa Barbara last Saturday night.

Lobo Men's Soccer has finally figured out the value of social networking and we are now up on Twitter! Click on the link above to sign up for the most recent updates about New Mexico Men's Soccer: links, video, pictures, rankings etc.

Thanks for your continued support and see you this weekend!
Jeremy Fishbein

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Sept. 7, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

Hope everyone enjoyed their three-day weekend. No rest for the weary! Our boys will be hitting the field at 10:30 this morning after reviewing Saturday night's video. I can't tell you how impressed I am with our players and with our team leadership. Seniors Mike Reed, James Urbany, Ryan Farquharson, David Murphy and senior transfer Matt Armstrong set the tone every day. They are about EXCELLENCE: academic, social and on the playing field. Great internal leadership is what makes a team!

We are now two games into the season and I feel very good about things. Our next four matches are at home and we will continue to get better on a daily basis. Saturday night's match vs #5 ranked University of California Santa Barbara was a "Classico". The Gauchos are one of the premier teams in the country and play with incredible passion and fire. We went into the match expecting to win and expecting to go toe-to-toe in the physical battles and beat them with unity and skill. Our schedule doesn't lighten up. #21 Saint Louis and #5 UCSB to start and Top 25 Georgetown and #15 Portland coming up this weekend here at home. We want to compete against the top teams in the country and plan on defeating them! This is what we train for and why players come to New Mexico. TO BE THE BEST!

LOBOS VS #5 UC SANTA BARBARA

Great atmosphere in the stadium. 3200+ in the seats and the place was rocking! UCSB put their best team in years on the field. 5 internationals, youth national team players from three countries and a very veteran team (all juniors and seniors). We started four sophomores, one freshman, four seniors and two juniors. Our boys came to play! We pressured them from the get go. Nine minutes into the match after Lobo dominance, we found the back of the net. Devon Sandoval picked up a loose ball and slotted it far post to make it 1-0 Lobos. The next 35 minutes were played in the UCSB half, but we couldn't put the all important second goal away. The Gauchos are too good to think there wouldn't be ups and downs to the match. When you have the momentum, you need to finish.

The second half started out pretty even and then UCSB got a hold of the game for a solid 10-minute stretch. We dropped a little too deep, got stretched and allowed them to get in a passing rhythm and get numbers in to attack. In the 55th minute, UC Santa Barbara capitalized. US U-20 National Team player Sam Garza scored on an incredible no-angle finish. Great goal! 1-1 and the next 35 minutes saw both teams battle and create half chances. 20 minutes of overtime and the score remained 1-1. A fair result with both sides getting chances and playing some wonderful soccer. The stats told the tale: 11-10 in shots, both keepers made 3 saves and fouls were fairly even. Great game which we could have put away early! Our young boys saw valuable minutes in a big contest. This will prove to be very valuable as the season progresses.

This weekend will provide us with two more tremendous tests. Georgetown on Friday night at 7:00 and Portland on Sunday at 1:00, with both matches here at the UNM Soccer Complex. Georgetown comes into our match 2-0-0 with a big win over #20 Michigan State this weekend and a "Top 25" ranking. Portland is 1-1-0 and will come into the weekend ranked in the "Top 20", as they were #15 at the beginning of the season. Come out and support your Lobos and thanks for the incredible support!

See you Friday night!
Jeremy Fishbein

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Sept. 3, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

The 2010 season is underway! Wednesday night was the season opener for New Mexico Men's Soccer. #21 ranked St. Louis University traveled to The Land of Enchantment to face the Lobos. Beautiful late summer night with 2000+ in the stands to support the home team. I can't say enough about our supporters. Wednesday nights are tough ones for students and families. The atmosphere was tremendous and the energy from the stands fueled our desire. Below is my recap with some wonderful news at the bottom of the page:

LOBOS VS #21 SAINT LOUIS BILLIKENS

Both teams were a bit tight from the kick-off. Exhibition games are different than regular season matches. This one was for keeps. After five minutes we started to find our rhythm. In the 11th minute, we gave up a set piece to the left of our goal against the run of play. Driven ball into the box, deflection off the top bar, goal St. Louis. What a way to start! Full credit to the boys. We stayed the course, connected passes and continued to play in the St. Louis half. We were confident and never panicked. Our reward came in the 32nd minute. Shot inside the box from sophomore Devon Sandoval, too much for the keeper to hold and sophomore Levi Rossi slotted away the rebound to make it 1-1. We continued to press, but couldn't find the net the remainder of the half. We were confident and relaxed at half and knew the drill to find success. Five minutes into the second half, senior captain Michael Reed played a right-footed ball from the left flank into the box. Great timed run by freshman Michael Kafari and a beautiful soaring header to the far post...2-1 Lobos. We continued to press and find space. In the 59th minute, junior Lance Rozeboom unleashed a rocket from 25 yards to make it 3-1. We continued to attack, but couldn't put the deciding fourth goal away. With 6 minutes left on the clock we gave away a throw-in deep inside our half. St. Louis had a very long throw and their #11 rifled the ball into the box. A deflection off one of our players and the game was again tight: 3-2 Lobos. We killed off the final minutes to preserve the victory. Way too close in a match in which we out-shot the Bilikens 21-4. None the less, a great result against a top team.

Click the LOBO TV buttonand a video with highlights of the St. Louis game will appear on the right hand side of the page.

Great news came our way today. Notre Dame transfer, Matt Armstrong, has been patiently sitting on the bench waiting for his NCAA Waiver to be processed. Matt has trained with us every day, but hasn't seen the field in our exhibition matches or Wednesday night. Matt was a US Youth National Team player and was a three-year starter for the Irish (started every game all three years) and is one of the best mid-fielders in the country. We got the call today from the NCAA and Matt is eligible to play in our remaining games. He will be a big boost to our team.

This Saturday night, September 4th at 7:00 PM, #5 ranked Santa Barbara comes to Albuquerque for a single match. This will be a big one! A 90 minute battle against one of the best teams in the country. We need your support!! Lets pack the stands and bring the energy.

GO LOBOS!
Jeremy Fishbein

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Aug. 30, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

New Mexico Men's Soccer has completed preseason and the "real deal" kicks off this Wednesday night at 7:00 in the Lobo Soccer Stadium. Lobos vs the #21 ranked St. Louis University Bilikens!

A hard fought victory last Friday night, witnessed by 2000+ Lobo Faithful, was the final piece to a very successful preseason. 3-0-0 with victories over two "Top 25" Division I programs and the #1 ranked Division II program. The overtime victory over Fort Lewis College, the defending Division II National Champion, was bittersweet, as sophomore attacker Blake Smith suffered a collar bone injury that is being evaluated by our athletics training staff and the match was marred by dangerous play and poor sportsmanship. For Fort Lewis, this match was their World Cup. As a former Division II coach (at Fort Lewis), playing against a big name Division I team is your chance to show that "David can beat Goliath". Fort Lewis came out flying and not much soccer was played.

An early seat piece goal in the 24th minute by FLC set the tone for the match and the Skyhawks were content to sit back and absorb our pressure. We turned it on in the second half and were rewarded with the equalizer in the 84th minute, Lawrence Robledo to Devon Sandoval to send it to overtime. We were confident and had the better of the game the last 45 minutes. Our momentum carried into the sudden death overtime and we put the game away 1:40 into the first period with another Robledo to Sandoval goal, to win the match 2-1. Great finish to a tough match.

Big one this Wednesday night! 7:00 at the UNM Soccer Stadium with the Lobos opening the season vs #21 ranked St. Louis University. Hope everyone can make it out to the match and support your Lobos! Thanks for the incredible support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein =====================================================================================
Aug. 25, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

The 2010 season is upon us and the University of New Mexico Men's Soccer Team is ready to roll! We returned Sunday night from hot and humid Tulsa with two exhibition matches under our belt. On Friday the 20th, the Lobos faced the #5 ranked University of Tulsa and on Sunday, Top 25, Missouri State. Both Tulsa and Missouri State were NCAA Tournament participants in 2009 and look to get back to the dance this year. The heat index in Tulsa was well above 100, with the temperature hovering around 100 and the humidity through the roof. Our boys knew they would face numerous opponents. Our match on Sunday, would prove to be the greatest test of character. Missouri State would play us fresh and we would be competing after playing a full match 48 hours prior in a raging inferno. Staying hydrated was a challenge.

Without going into my usual detail/excess, the boys passed this first test with flying colors. A 3-2 victory over Tulsa on Friday night, was what you would expect from a first game. Great play at times, with nerves and miscues mixed in. We found the net in the final 6 minutes to close the match. A great win against a top team at their home venue.

Sunday would prove to be a test of our mental strength and character. I was real proud of the team. We controlled the tempo of the match and kept our focus and desire throughout. We created some tremendous chances in the first half, but couldn't find the net. Early in the second half we found our mark to go up 1-0. Despite several more chances and the vast majority of possession, the game finished 1-0 Lobos.

Two quality results and the team continues to gel and improve. We play our final exhibition match this Friday, August 27th, vs the defending NCAA II National Champion, Fort Lewis College Skyhawks. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm at the Lobo Soccer Stadium. The regular season kicks off on Wednesday, September 1st, vs Nationally ranked St. Louis University. More details to come. Thanks for your support and see you soon.

Coach Fishbein ========================================================================================================= ========================================================================================================= February 18, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

Quite a bit of exciting Lobo Soccer news. Winter training has been tremendous and our players and coaching staff are extremely enthusiastic about our current group. With the graduation of five seniors, the team has taken on a new identity. New leaders emerge as young players mature. The 2010 Lobos will be a very unified, athletic, skillful, hard-working, and attack-minded group. Our recruiting class for the fall is one of our best ever. The eight-member class is comprised of young men who are excited to be Lobos and each will bring qualities to enhance our program. My "last but not least" piece of news is an update on three former Lobos who have recently signed professional playing contracts. Here you go!

Eight new Lobos will join our program in the fall, including seven freshmen and transfer Devon Sandoval. Devon is currently training with the team and will have three years of eligibility remaining. Click HEREfor the link to the article from our website with bio info and pictures of the incoming class.

Chris Wright, who finished his Lobo playing career in 2008, just signed a professional contract with FC Energie Cottbus of the 2nd Bundesliga in Germany. Chris is already playing matches for the reserve team and looks to move into the first team soon. Chris is the prototype German forward and will be very successful. Click HEREfor a link to a recent article about his signing.

Euan Holden, who completed his eligibility as a Lobo this past fall, signed last week with Vejle BK in Denmark. Euan was drafted by the Houston Dynamo of the MLS, but felt a move to Europe would be more beneficial at this stage of his professional career. Click HEREfor a link to an article about Euan's signing.

Justin Davis, who finished his Lobo playing career this past fall, is currently in pre-season camp with defending MLS Champion Real Salt Lake. Justin was Salt Lake's second-round draft choice, and the team looks to play him as a left sided defender or midfielder. I am confident that Justin Davis will be very successful as a professional: he is smart, tenacious, athletic, and has a special left foot. Justin will join former Lobos Andy Boyens, Lance Watson, Andrew Weber and Mike Graczyk in the MLS this season. Boyens will also play for New Zealand in this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

I'm very proud of all that our current and former players are achieving off and on the field. The goals of our program remain unchanged: EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY AND ON THE PLAYING FIELD. Thanks for all your support. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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January 25, 2010

Lobo Faithful:

It is with great sorrow that I pass on the following information to all of you: Last Thursday night, former New Mexico Lobo Soccer standout, Ben Ashwill, passed away in a three-car accident in east-central New Mexico at the age of 26. Ben played for the Lobos from 2002-2005 and was the recipient of numerous academic and athletic honors. He was a three-time Academic All-American, a four-time All-MPSF Conference selection, and a freshman All-American. Ben was possibly the toughest player I have ever coached. He was a tremendous teammate and friend who always put team goals first and left everything on the field regardless of the situation or opponent. Ben will be missed greatly, but never forgotten by anyone associated with Lobo Soccer. Here is the link to the article from our athletic department website:
New Mexico Men's Soccer Remembers Ben Ashwill

The memorial service for Ben will be held on Wednesday, January 27th at 10:00 a.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church on 2626 Arizona Street NE, Albuquerque, N.M. (one block east of the intersection of San Pedro and Menaul). A reception will immediately follow the service. If you would like to send a letter of sympathy to Ben's parents, Tom and Donna, and sisters, Brandi and Tamara, the family's home address is 7101 Vista del Arroyo NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87109.

Once things settle down, I plan on sitting down with the Ashwill family to discuss an appropriate way in which everyone associated with Lobo Soccer can remember and acknowledge Ben's incredible contributions to our program. I will let all of you know the family's wishes and how you can be involved.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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November 23, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

The 2009 Lobo Men's Soccer Season came to abrupt conclusion Thursday night in front of 3000+ stunned Lobo fans. Our season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a loss to the Portland Pilots in the 7th minute of overtime. The 2009 season was one of ups and downs, but all in all, a successful campaign. I'm very proud of our five seniors: Simon Ejdemyr, Stephen Brown, Euan Holden, PJ Wilson and Justin Davis. Each has made a lasting impression on our program and will go on to live very successful lives. The boys dealt with pressure throughout the season and handled themselves with class and composure. No one wants to stop....it doesn't seem possible that our next official game won't be until September 1, 2010.

Senior Simon Ejdemyr was just named to the ESPN Academic All-American First team for the second year in a row. Simon was the top vote getter amongst all Division I Soccer Student/Athletes and was named "Academic All-American of the Year". Here is the link to the story: Ejdemyr Headlines CoSIDA Academic All-America Teams

Chris Wright, who finished his Lobo playing career in 2008 and is scheduled to graduate with a degree in Biology this December, was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the most prestigious post-graduate scholarships in the world. Chris was one of 12 finalists for 2 scholarships. While not selected, Chris represented the University of New Mexico and the Lobo Soccer program in incredible fashion and will go on to do incredible things.

Andrew Boyens, who finished his playing career and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2006, just qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, while representing his native New Zealand. Andrew currently plays professionally for the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.

November 19, 2009: NCAA First Round: Lobos vs. Portland Pilots 7:00 PM

I don't have it in me to say too much about this game. We came out on fire and took it to Portland. In the 34th minute, Michael Green beat his defender left to right and slotted a ball to the far post for Lance Rozeboom. 1-0 Lobos. We outshot the Pilots 12-2 in the first half and our GK was never challenged. We should have put them away with a seco nd goal. The second half was a bit more even, but the Lobos still owned the game. In the 83rd minute, a direct kick from deep in the Portland half was launched into our box. Quality clearance by Simon Ejdemyr and a miss hit from a Portland player bounced into the box...finish...1-1 with 6 minutes left. We kept the pressure on and continued to dominate through the opening minutes of overtime. 4 minutes into the overtime, the Portland GK was ejected for throwing an elbow and things looked good. We continued to attack and in the 7th minute of overtime, we lost the ball in transition...quick counter...ball behind our back 4.....goal Portland. 2009 season over! Story of the season: we out shot Portland 21-10, 6-4 in corners, their GK made 7 saves, our GK 2...our failure to score the decisive second goal and inability to lock down the lead. Important lessons were learned, albeit painful ones.

Thanks for your incredible support this year and every year. I will keep you abreast of season ending honors for the players and wish everyone a tremendous holiday season. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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November 16, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Mixed feelings about last weekend's MPSF Conference Championships, but great news just came across the TV screen 60 minutes ago. The University of New Mexico will host the first round of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championships this Thursday, November 19th at 7:00 PM. The Lobos will play the University of Portland at the UNM Soccer Complex. Go to www.golobos.com for ticket information. We are healthy, excited and will be ready to play! Lets pack the stands and bring back the energy of 2005 when we sold out the stadium on our way to the NCAA Finals!

Last weekend's MPSF season-ending tournament was hosted by Denver University. The Lobos had a first round bye and faced Denver in the semi-finals on Friday night. An early goal from Justin Davis was all that we needed and we held on for a well-played 1-0 victory. This semi-final match set up Sunday's final between the #2 seed Lobos and #1 seed Sacramento State (who defeated UNLV in overtime on Friday). A winter storm hit Denver on Saturday and the status of the game was touch and go. The grounds crew from Denver did an incredible job making the field playable and the Championship match kicked off at 1:30. It was a crazy and very disappointing Final...for us. We went up 1-0 midway through the first half off a Stephen Brown header. Sacramento State equalized early in the second half. We then went up 2-1 off a Justin Davis header. The game was fairly one-sided and we hit the post off a set piece and created 3-4 other quality chances to put the game out of reach. We didn't take advantage of our chances and Sac State finished off their lone remaining chance to tie the score at 2-2 with just under 8 minutes in the match. The 20-minute overtime period (two ten minute sudden victory halves) was all Lobos. I'm not sure how we didn't finish our chances..they were on a platter! Penalty kicks to determine the Champion (the game is declared a tie, but the 5 penalty kicks would determine the Champion). We shot second, so the initial pressure was on Sac. They hit their first, as did the Lobos. They missed their second and we made ours. Both teams made their 3rd and 4th round shots and Sac hit the opening PK of the final 5th round. We stepped up to seal the victory, but were denied. Sac hit their 6th and we missed our 6th. Sac State 2009 MPSF Champions and recipients of the automatic NCAA bid. We felt that we would receive an at-large bid regardless of the outcome of the match. Lucky for us, this proved true! Not the way we wanted to get in, but we are in and playing our first round match at home!

Hope to see the Lobo Faithful this Thursday night at 7:00 PM as we face the University of Portland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Go to www.golobos.com for ticket information. Lets pack the stands and sell out the stadium! Thanks for all your support. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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November 9, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Lobo Men's Soccer concluded the regular season Saturday night in front of a raucous home crowd of 3000+. Perfect weather, great energy, and the ideal way to send our five seniors out in style. Stephen Brown, Justin Davis, Simon Ejdemyr, Euan Holden and PJ Wilson each donned the Lobo jersey for their final regular season contest as Lobos. Saturday night's match vs. UNLV would decide the #2 seed in the November 12th-15th MPSF Tournament hosted by Denver University and the subsequent first round bye. This was a big one!

Saturday, November 7th: Lobos vs. UNLV 7:15 Kick-off

We were ready for this one! The boys came out firing on all cylinders. Four minutes into the match, Stephen Brown played a ball back to Michael Green about 15 yards from goal. Green hit it first time into the back of the net. 1-0 Lobos in the early going. The ideal way to start a game! The rest of the first half was fairly uneventful. UNLV played very directly and we never really got hold of the game. We resorted to playing much like UNLV and failed to connect passes and play in the style we are accustomed too. We discussed things at halftime and a very focused and disciplined Lobo team took the field for the final 45 minutes. I thought we played beautiful soccer the second half. Great ball speed, movement and combination play. Our skill was rewarded in the 66th minute with a tremendous solo effort by Michael Green. Green's second goal of the match and a 2-0 Lobo lead. We finished out the match in style with contributions from six players off the bench. Red-shirt freshman goalkeeper, Justin Holmes, was in net for the second straight match and was rewarded with his second consecutive shutout. A great game for the Lobos and the ideal way to enter the conference tournament next weekend in Denver. Our five seniors led the way!

With Saturday's, victory, the Lobos secured the #2 seed in the MPSF Tournament and will play in the semifinals on Friday, November 13th. Depending on who we play, the match will be at either 5 or 7:30 p.m. at Denver University. We won't know our opponent or game time until Thursday evening. I feel great about the team and the attitude heading into post-season competition. Our schedule and opponent will be updated on our webpage at www.golobos.com. Thanks again for your incredible support and we hope to see the Lobo Faithful in Denver on Friday night. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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November 3, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

I can't believe our 17-game regular season is almost over. We've experienced extremes: 100 degree weather in Tulsa.... 30 degrees and snowing in Colorado. We've played in front of 4000+ fans and in front of 50 fans. Well-manicured grass fields and small artificial turf fields. Opponents who play attacking, skillful soccer, and others who play physical, direct, and defensive soccer. Through thick and thin, I am very proud of our team and the manner in which they've represented our University and state. They are quality students who make a difference in our community. We still have a lot of soccer in us and our best is still ahead of us. Great teams finish strong and I have faith in our boys!

We got back late Sunday night from our yearly Northern California road trip. Sacramento State and San Jose State are always tough matches. They're two proud programs who don't receive the recognition they deserve. Both teams are always up for their match vs. New Mexico. This year proved to be no different! Sac and San Jose were off to their best conference starts in years. Both entered the weekend 4-0 in conference play, with the Lobos entering the weekend with a conference mark of 3-1. With 7 conference games on the schedule, this weekend would prove vital to everyone's goal of receiving a first round bye in the conference tournament (top 2 teams receive a bye). Spirits were high entering the trip and we were focused and ready!

October 30, 2009: Lobos vs. Sacramento State 3:30 Kick-off

Our preparation was very good and the boys were ready for the always-tough away match vs. the Hornets. The field was hard and bouncy. The game started with the Lobos on our heels. We couldn't get into a good playing rhythm and we seemed tight. We were playing "not to lose," rather than "to win." We made it through the first half with the score tied at 0-0. Everyone settled down at the half and we went out for the second half re-charged and focused. A different team took the field. We created chances and got a hold of the game. Against the run of play, we gave up a corner kick in the 57th minute. A bouncing ball in the box and a Sac player got a toe on the ball and poked it out of our keeper's grasp. 1-0 Sacramento, but we were creating quality chances and stayed positive. We continued to press, but it was to no avail. In a very tough match, Sac came away with a very well played victory. The pressure was on us to come out of the weekend with a split, putting ourselves into possession of the second spot in conference. San Jose would not be easy.

November 1, 2009: Lobos vs. San Jose State 1:00 Kick-off

San Jose's Spartan Stadium is the most difficult venue we ever play in. The field is very small (110 x 67) and the touch line is less than 5 feet from a concrete wall in many places (definitely a safety issue). The field is lined for football and this summer they switched from natural grass to artificial turf. A tremendous home field advantage for the Spartans. Our boys were focused and we came out ready to battle. With the field dimensions, we knew the game would be very physical and direct. San Jose is extremely good at home and their team is well-suited for the dimensions of their field. The first half was fairly even, with San Jose having more shots, but all from distance. Redshirt freshman Justin Holmes made his first starting appearance in goal for the Lobos. We discussed the nature of the game at halftime and reiterated that the game would be tight and, most likely, a single mistake would dictate the outcome. The second half was back and forth, with both sides creating half chances. After the 90 minutes of regulation, the score was locked at 0-0. Overtime! We always have confidence in ourselves come overtime. The boys were ready. Six minutes into the first period, we were awarded a direct kick deep in our half. Simon Ejdemyr played a long ball to Justin Davis about 25 yards and to the left of the San Jose goal. Davis won the header and flicked it directly behind to Stephen Brown's well timed run from the left flank. Brown took a touch inside and slotted a right-footed ball far post for the sudden victory winner! 1-0 Lobos in a fiercely contested match. With the win, we gained sole possession of second place in the conference (second place doesn't sound right). We have one regular season match remaining this Saturday night, November 7th, at home vs. UNLV at 7:00. Saturday night will also be senior night. Simon Ejdemyr, Justin Davis, PJ Wilson, Euan Holden and Stephen Brown will all be recognized prior to the match. We need your support this Saturday. Come out and howl! GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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October 27, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Better late than never! Still getting the chill out of my bones from the Colorado trip last weekend. Two tough games against quality opponents! Friday night's game vs. The Air Force Academy was played in cold, cold weather. We broke out the winter jackets and cold weather gear. Sunday's game vs. Denver was played in intermittent snow and rain. While our results were mixed, we played quality, attacking soccer and the team's focus and desire is where it needs to be!

Friday, October 23rd: Lobos vs. Air Force 7:00 PM

Crazy game. Another example of how cruel soccer is. We outshot the Academy 15-6, 6-2 in corner kicks, 6-0 in shots on goal....our goalkeeper didn't make a save the entire game. With 5 minutes left in the match, we were called for a handball in our box. Penalty kick...finish...1-0 Air Force and that's how it finished. Our inability to finish our chances cost us this one. We played the entire game in their half, created chances and even had a goal called back. If you can't find the net, you can't win games! The boys stayed focused and positive and we mentally moved on to Sunday's contest vs. the defending conference champion Denver Pioneers.

Sunday, October 25th: Lobos vs Denver University 12:00 Noon

The weather report called for snow and rain coming in at 2:00. The original kick off was scheduled for 1:00, but was moved game time to noon to beat the weather. In spite of the time change, we still fought intermittent snow, but there was no accumulation at any time. This was a big game for us...a must win! 15 minutes into the match, Michael Reed got forward from his position as right back. Reed beat his man inside and unleashed a left footed blast from 25 yards. Far corner netting...1-0 Lobos! 10 minutes later, Denver was awarded a free kick 35 yards from our goal. Our goalkeeper misjudged the shot and watched it sail over his head into the net. A very uncharacteristic mistake, but a costly one. We got right back at 'em and were rewarded in the 42nd minute. PJ Wilson beat his man inside from the right flank and finished near post with his left. 2-1 Lobos and that's how the match ended. I felt we got a bit complacent with the lead and were comfortable defending. No great chances for Denver, but the game was closer than it needed to be. 1 and 1 for the weekend, but playing well. We are now off to Northern California for two big matches vs Sacramento State on Friday and San Jose State on Sunday. Sac and San Jose are 4-0 in conference play and we are 3-1. Need I say more! We will be ready and the team is excited to show our stuff. We return home on November 7th for our final regular season match vs UNLV and Senior Day! Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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October 19, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

What a weekend! I'm still coming down from yesterday's emotional roller coaster. The difference between winning and losing...... Conference play opened this weekend with two home matches to kickoff the 7-game Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference slate. Conference newcomers, Seattle University and California State Bakersfield, made their debuts in the Duke City. Friday night was picture perfect in every way: 65 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, slight breeze, 3000 in the stands.....the place was rocking at kickoff.

Friday, October 16th: Lobos vs. Seattle University 7:15 PM

Seattle is a quality team without the results they deserve. Quality, attractive soccer with a lot of heart. The key to this match would be to score early and let our opponent chase the game. The first half was all Lobos, minus the ball finding the net. The boys were relaxed at half time and confident. Patience and confidence would be key. Four minutes into the second half, a long ball from the back found Justin Davis checking back for the ball...flick behind to streaking freshman, Josh Caffey (had his clothes on). Josh with a deft touch past a defender, cooly slotted the ball away for a 1-0 Lobo lead. In spite of a 19-10 shot advantage, 5-1 corner kick and 8-1 shots on goal advantage, 1-0 proved to be the final score. We were very mature in our handling and managing of the lead. Coupled with safe and quality defense, we closed the game out in convincing fashion. It would have been nice to take the pressure off with another goal or two, but a well played match with a deserving result. There will be no easy games in conference play.

Sunday, October 18th: Lobos vs. California Bakersfield 1:15 PM

The Roadrunners are another conference newcomer with a great history of soccer at the Division II level. They are a passionate, attacking team who will prove to be a very competitive Division I program in the near future. They are off to a tremendous start this year and would prove to be a very formidable foe. Coming off a 3-1 victory over UNLV Friday night in their conference debut, we felt Bakersfield would come out of the blocks on fire. If we could get on the board in the early going, this was a game we could put up some points. In the first 15 minutes we created quality chances, but once again, didn't find the net. In the 32nd minute, against the run of play, Bakersfield was awarded a penalty kick. Not the best defending from our end and a call which could have gone either way. Clinical finish and we were chasing the game, down a goal. Whenever you are down a goal, the game changes. The fear of being down two goals lingers in the back of your head and the desire to even up the score often caused overzealous attacking. Our boys fought back and put the Roadrunners on their heels. We were confident at the intermission, reminding ourselves to "stay the course" and the goals would come. The second half was all Lobos. By the end of the match, we outshot CSUB 26-14, 13-5 advantage in corner kicks, 10-4 shots on goal.......with one minute left on the scoreboard, we were losing 1-0. Eerily reminiscent of our second game of the season vs. San Francisco. There was no quit in the boys. With 39 seconds left on the clock, Stephen Brown found the far post with a tremendous shot off a rebound. Overtime and we had the run of play and confidence on our side. Eight minutes into the first overtime, Justin Davis hit the game-winner. Big time victory and a great confidence builder for the team. I'm really proud of the boys and the manner in which they handled adversity. Five conference matches remain with the next four on the road. Thanks for all your support. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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October 8, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Gutted, bummed, sick to my stomach...just got done playing handball off the curb...very tough result last night vs. Cal Irvine. I don't have anything witty or intriguing to share with you, other than expressing my incredible sorrow about the match. Our 10 game non-conference schedule finished up last night at the Lobo Soccer Complex. 9 of the 10 teams we played were ranked in the national "Top 25" at some point this season, and we played three teams who reached the "Top 10". University of California Irvine was our final opponent. The Anteaters made it to the Elite 8 in last year's NCAA Tournament and are a quality team with some special players. The diminutive Irving Garcia would prove to be our greatest nemesis.

October 7, 2009: Lobos vs. California Irvine 7:15 PM

The first 25 minutes of the match were beautiful soccer. I couldn't ask for more from our team...except for putting the ball in the net. We possessed the ball, had great movement and created quality chances. In spite of our play, neither team could find the net in the first half. The second half saw play even out and the physical and mental wear and tear of our brutal schedule started to show on our boys. In the 80th minutes, the Anteaters had a throw-in deep in our half. A long throw, a glancing header and a brilliant half volley from Irving Garcia put Irvine on the scoreboard, 1-0. To our teams' credit, there was no quit in them. Five minutes later, we had a throw-in of our own deep in the UCI half. Great throw from Justin Davis, near-post flick from Simon and the score was 1-1. We had one more great chance in the dying minutes of regulation, but the shot was cleared off the line. We were confident going into over-time, but it was not to be this night. 6 minutes into the first overtime, a transition ball behind our back four and Garcia got loose. Two of our defenders recovered, but Garcia hit a near post blast which glanced off the crossbar and bounced just across the goal line. 2-1 Irvine in overtime. A heart breaker! We now enter MPSF Conference play on October 16th, with the next 9 days off. Our 10 game non-conference schedule allowed us to test ourselves against the nation's best. We had some great results and some disappointing losses and finished 6-4-0. Our challenge now: to physically, mentally, and emotionally recover and prepare for our 7 hard-fought conference matches. Next Friday night, October 16th is the conference opener vs. Seattle University and it will also be "Stuff the Stadium" night. Our goal is to pack the house. The atmosphere will be electric. Thanks for all your support and we will see you next Friday night at 7:00 PM. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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October 5, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Great weekend for Lobo Men's Soccer and an incredible weekend for me! Saturday night's match vs. California State Northridge was a big test for our team. Back at home, coming off a tough loss to Stanford.....CSUN is a dynamic, attacking team who has been in and out of the "Top 20" all season. The American Cancer Society sponsored the match to promote "cancer awareness" and our players donned pink jerseys in honor of the event! The weather was perfect and the moon was full. 3200+ in the stands and the atmosphere was ideal for a big night from the Lobos! What made the weekend and match special for me was the fact that my wife was out of town for four days and I was experiencing single parenthood for the weekend (Thursday-Sunday). It was my 8- and 6-year-old daughters, Hanna Montana, the Jonas brothers, Harry Potter, Demmi Lovato, and dad! My wife was in Palm Springs, California playing in the USTA Adult National 5.0 Tennis Championships. My wife is/was quite a tennis player. She played here at UNM, represented Mexico internationally and played professionally for several years. She hasn't played much the past 12 years, but caught the bug again this year. She was asked to play for a 5.0 Albuquerque women's team, which was going to compete for State and Regional Title. 5.0 is the highest level outside of professional. Her team won the Regional Title, which was played here in Albuquerque, and qualified for Nationals. USTA National Championship October 1-4th was circled on our calender and I was prepared and excited to take the girls! The time spent with my daughters was incredible...not easy...but wonderful. They came to practice, to our pre-game meal, to the training room...banged on the locker room door. I went to their soccer practices, violin lessons, soccer games, did homework, prepared dinner....my wife will say "I do this all the time, haven't you noticed...don't make a big deal out of it." The four days really put things in perspective: family first! I sure hope I set a good example for our players that being a good husband and father takes effort and dedication. I hope that I do this every day!

October 3, 2009: Lobos vs. California State Northridge 7:30 PM

We were focused and ready for this game. We started out strong and controlled the early moments of the match. In the 10th minute, Mike Green cut inside from the left flank after receiving a ball from Ryan Farquharson. From 25 yards, Green unleashed a rocket that found the upper right hand corner of the net. 1-0 Lobos and we were rolling! We continued to create chances, but couldn't put the ball in the net for the remaining 35 minutes of the half. We felt good going into the intermission, but wanted some cushion. The next 29 minutes saw both teams connecting passes, but few quality chances were created. I thought we defended very intelligently and didn't give CSUN any openings. In the 84th minute, Mike Green did it again! A long ball behind the Matador defense with the GK charging out of his box. Green touched it by him from deep in the corner and from what looked like an impossible angle, drove the ball into a keeper-less net. 2-0 Lobos and a great victory!

This Wednesday night, October 7th, we conclude our non-conference schedule with a home match vs. #22 University of California Irvine at 7:00. Irvine is an exciting, attacking team and we look forward to playing them at home. I sure hope we get all the LOBO FAITHFUL out for this one! As for my wife's weekend, the team from Albuquerque brought home the National Championship! They played teams from Northern California, Tennessee, Virginia, New York and brought the hardware back to New Mexico! My girls won both their games and we took care of our business. I perfected my skills in the kitchen, putting incredible meals on the table: grilled cheese, peanut butter, jelly and bananas, Honey Nut Cheerios with special sauce, and other personal secrets! See you Wednesday night and thanks for all your support. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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September 27, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Southwest Airlines still provides peanuts and crackers for free and no charge for baggage. A little consolation after today's match vs. Stanford, but not enough to make me feel remotely well. I'm sitting next to junior midfielder Ryan Farquharson 30 minutes into our flight from Oakland and still digesting this afternoon's result. This road weekend was a big one for the Lobos. Coming off three successive wins (#10 Notre Dame, Cal Davis and Gonzaga) with matches vs. #4 ranked Cal Berkeley and a resurgent 5-1-0 Stanford (getting "top 20" votes), would show us where we stand. The week's preparation was excellent with the focus on Friday's game vs. Cal. Stanford was the host for the weekend's tournament with the Air Force Academy rounding out the field. Stanford set things up intelligently for themselves: a 7:00 pm night game vs. Air Force on Friday, while Cal and the Lobos fought it out in the 90 degree heat on Friday afternoon at 4:30. When I get to sit next to one of our players on a flight, it's always a great occasion to really talk. They have nowhere to go, they're trapped at 30,000 feet! After dodging several of my questions: what do you want to do after college...how are things at home with your family....what's new with your social life...Ryan opens up a bit more than usual. He's thinking of moving to Tibet and spending a solid year in meditation deep in a cave.....he's moving to Alaska and getting work on a fishing boat from the TV show "The Deadliest Catch". But don't worry, I get the standard answers. Not really sure yet...I still have time to figure it out....kinda seeing a girl....brother and sister are good.... Ryan is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, has a 3.2 GPA and is a great leader...he will be very successful in whatever he chooses to pursue.

Friday, September 25th: Lobos vs. Cal 4:30 PM

This was a BIG game. Cal has been on a roll. Ranked #4 in the country and coming off convincing wins, we were excited for the challenge. It's a pretty great feeling to go into a game of this magnitude and feel very confident in your team. Whenever we step on the field, we expect to WIN. After watching two of the Golden Bears games on tape, we felt that we not only matched up well: but were better if we played to our strengths! The first 20 minutes of the match were back and forth with Cal seeing more of the ball and getting some decent looks at our goal. We weren't playing to our potential and looked a bit tight. 21st minute: two quick Lobo passes down the left flank, Stephen Brown with a crafty move past his man coming inside...great service across the face of the goal...James Urbany making a hard run to the far post splitting the fullback and centerback....1-0 Lobos: executed like you draw it up. 20 more minutes of the Lobos seeing more and more of the ball and against the run of the game, Cal with a long throw-in from the left touch line. Great header, 1-1 with 4 minutes left in the half. What a devastating blow. We identified some tactical adjustments with our wide players and felt good going into the second half. The play was all Lobos. A 9-4 UNM advantage in shots and Cal was physically wearing down. As the minutes counted down, it looked like overtime. Lobo corner kick from the right side with 1:30 left on the clock. Justin Davis with an in-swinging corner (left footed bending in towards the keeper) skips past the first defender and the man sitting next to me right now, Ryan Farquharson, knocks it into the near post netting. 2-1 Lobos with 90 seconds remaining in the match. Quality defending and the Lobos knock off #4 ranked Cal in a very high paced, well-played match. Both goals came from third-year Lobo midfielders. Stanford's evening match vs. Air Force ended in a 3-2 Cardinal victory without the effort the score line may imply. Stanford came into our Sunday match-up with a record of 5-1-0 after the win. Our game took a huge physical and mental toll on the team, but we had to recover quickly. Big one on Sunday for the Lobos!

Sunday, September 27: Lobos vs Stanford 12:30 PM

Our recovery from Friday's intense match was very good. The boys did everything in their power to prepare for Sunday: recovery drinks right after Friday's game, static stretching, ice baths, pool recovery session Saturday morning, light movement prior to lunch and proper nutrition and rest. We seemed good on Sunday morning after 42 hours rest, but only time would tell. Our coaching staff watched Stanford's match on Friday night. We felt that if we played intelligently, got quality minutes from players off the bench and finished our opportunities, we would get the result. The first 10 minutes of the match was all Lobos. Two great chances on goal and we felt really good about things. In the 11th minute, against the run of play, a bouncing ball deep in our half, some unlucky deflections, a great cross and finish by Stanford and we now had to chase the game down a goal. Stanford went from playing an attacking style with a high back line to a very defensive posture defending with big numbers. We continued to play well and created several excellent chances, chances we should and need to put away! Stanford was good on the counter, but only created fairly harmless shots from 25-30 yards. GK Fite was tested once and made an excellent save. We had a good talk at half time and were confident going into the final 45 minutes. Once again we created quality chances, but didn't put balls on frame (on goal). Stanford played very defensively and got tremendous play from their keeper. As the game progressed, it was very evident that our boys didn't have the legs they are accustomed to: touches a bit off, shots too high or wide...the minutes continued to tick and we kept pushing. With five minutes left, we moved a defender up top to give a final push. 90 seconds left on the clock, a Stanford Clearance with numbers in transition. Shot, save, finish...2-0 Stanford. Our dreams of a weekend sweep were dashed. Pretty devastating for all of us. Stanford was smart in how they set up their tournament and stacked the deck in their favor. We need to learn from our mistakes and move on. Two big ones at home vs. "top 25" opponents. Saturday night, October 3rd, we host Cal State Northridge at 7:00 and on Wednesday, October 7th, we host Cal Irvine at 7:00. We will spend today and tomorrow recovering from the weekend (active recovery session and light weights today and Tuesday completely off) and will get back at it Wednesday morning. See you this weekend and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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September 22, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Wonderful weekend for Lobo Men's Soccer. After four back and forth season-opening games, we got things right this weekend. What an electric atmosphere Friday night: 2800+ in the stands for an "overly" exciting and action packed match (was more exciting than it should have been). Sunday's crowd of 1800 was equally enthusiastic and vocal, and brought out the best in our team. Having the support of our home crowd and getting to spend the weekend with family and friends was rewarded with two quality performances. Our sports information department put together a nice two minute video on the weekend. Click HEREand the video will show up on the right hand side of the page: titled TLC/Nike Invitational.

Richard Stevens also wrote a very nice piece on freshman and native New Mexican, Patrick Pacheco, and his first career goal scored over the weekend. Click HEREfor the story.

Friday, September 18th: Lobos vs University of California at Davis 7:00 PM

The boys were focused and ready for this match. UC Davis was great in 2008: reaching the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Off to a mixed start this year, the Aggies are a skillful and physical team. Going into the game, we felt that we needed to get on the scoreboard early, take Davis's enthusiasm out of the game and turn a game of emotions into a game of quality and skill. The opening 10 minutes was everything we could ask for... except for the ball hitting the net! Right from the get go, Justin Davis slipped behind the UC Davis back four and hit a blast from 30 yards which glanced off the upper bar....several more quality chances and great goal keeping by the Davis keeper kept the game scoreless in the early going. After dominating the game for the first 37 minutes, we gave the Aggies an opening in the 38th minute. A poor defensive clearance led to a Aggie corner kick. Lofted service, great header, Lobos down 0-1. The remaining 7 minutes of the half played out without significant action and we went into the intermission disappointed, but confident. Twelve minutes into the second stanza, Stephen Brown received the ball high up the field on the left flank....pass into Mike Green, back to Brown and a right footed bending ball from 25 yards....far corner netting. Big Time goal! With renewed energy and confidence, we continued to attack. Fifteen minutes later, a great ball over the top to Justin Davis with only the goal and keeper ahead of him. The last defender clipped Justin and the official pointed to the penalty spot. Simon Ejdemyr stepped to the spot and slotted the ensuing kick to the keepers left to make it 2-1 Lobos. We created several more chances, but managed the remaining clock and came away with a well played 2-1 victory over a quality opponent. Sunday's match would now be the challenge. Our opponent, Gonzaga, won their Friday night match with an overtime victory over the University of Binghamton from upstate New York.

Sunday, September 20: Lobos vs Gonzaga 1;30 PM

The Zags entered the match with a record of 4-1-1 and received national "top 25" votes in the week leading up to our match. A very well balanced, battle-tested team. This game would be a test of our maturity and focus. Friday night games under the lights are often won with emotion and energy. Sunday afternoon matches are more of a chess match. We put Gonzaga in "check" in the early going. In the 18th minute, freshman Patrick Pacheco received the ball on the right flank, took a touch inside, beat the first defender and unleashed a rocket from 25 yards....upper near post netting..1-0 Lobos. We continued to play well for the remaining 26 minutes of the half, but couldn't put another one away. The second half started out "on fire." Two minutes in, right back Michael Reed played a beautiful entry ball into Mike Green and the "Green Machine" or "Green Bean" took a touch and hit the sweet spot to make it 2-0 Lobos. We continued to press and were rewarded with our third goal four minutes later, when James Urbany hit a rebound through the crowd for his first goal of the season and our third of the match. We created several more chances, but failed to convert. It was a very well balanced game which saw keepers Victor Rodriguez and Justin Holmes share the shut out. We are now off to Northern California to play #5 ranked University of California and "top 25" Stanford. No hiding for the LOBOS! Thanks for the support and see you soon.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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September 14, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Returned late last night from Chicago. We cut it pretty close, figuring we wouldn't catch any traffic on the drive from South Bend, Indiana to Chicago O'Hare Airport on a Sunday afternoon. Road construction and downtown traffic raised the blood pressure. We made it...hungry and out of breath. Quite a weekend for the team. We traveled into a "hornets nest" and came out with only a few welts. Two games on the road vs. powerhouse programs: #12 ranked Indiana and #10 ranked Notre Dame.

Friday, September 11th: Lobos vs #12 Indiana 5:00 PM

We felt very prepared for this match. From the two Indiana games we were able to watch on video, we felt the Hoosiers were a good match up for us. They played in a 3-5-2 formation, with a deep center-midfielder. Our 4-4-2 with a deep forward made for a great tactical battle. Our boys were relaxed and focused going into the game. What a great feeling to go into a road match vs a #12 ranked opponent and feel confident. I'm really proud of this team and the effort and preparation they have put into the season. Pretty even match for the first 25 minutes and the last 20 minutes of the first half was all Lobos. We created quality chances, but couldn't finish. The score at half time was 0-0, but we were confident. The second half started well for us. 13 minutes in we were rewarded with a beautiful combination goal: Lance Rozeboom to Michael Green to Justin Davis for the finish. 1-0 Lobos and looking good. In soccer, its common for a team to give up a goal, right after scoring a goal. Mental focus, or the lack of immediately following elation. This is something we talk about all the time. One minute later, 1-1. A poor clearance on our part, poor marking and a great finish by Indiana. We battled back and got a hold of the game again. In the 75th minute, great ball from Green to Stephen Brown, 2-1 Lobos. Four and half minutes later, miscue in the back, 2-2. Incredible! I think we are a mature team, but two mental breakdowns at inopportune moments. Pretty even game and we were confident that we would put one more away. With three minutes on the clock. We give Indiana a deep throw-in, fail to mark short....cross...near post finish and we let the game slip away. 3-2 loss to a team we were much better than. I great lesson learned: focus is required for 90 minutes to beat quality opposition. We discussed the game, watched the video and reviewed a few key points on Saturday. We were excited to play the #10 ranked Irish on Sunday!

Sunday, September 13th: Lobos vs #10 ranked Notre Dame 2:00 PM

Notre Dame was coming off an easy 3-0 victory Friday night. The Irish, as the home team, played under the cool evening sky and rested their top players for much of their match. We were coming off a battle in the heat of the afternoon. No excuses. Our boys were as ready as I've ever seen them. The team looked sharp in our warm-up and appeared confident for a great game. We got at em right away. In the third minute, Notre Dame played a harmless long ball over the top and mis-communication ensued between our defender and goal keeper. Our back played the ball back to the keeper....the problem was that the keeper was stepping up to play the ball. We could only watch as the ball slowly, ever so slowly trickled across our goal line. 1-0 Notre Dame three minutes in. Not the way to start a match. No worries. We stayed composed and got a hold of the game. In the 38th minute, a tremendous diagonal ball from right back Michael Reed to Justin Davis on the left flank. Touch and finish. Back to even: 1-1! We gained momentum and continued to cause problems for the rest of the half and into the second half. Three great chances, but we failed to convert. The minutes ticked off and overtime! Two ten minute sudden death periods. We win all overtimes was our mantra! 1:48 into the first overtime period, Stephen Brown from the right side of midfield, played a diagonal ball behind the Notre Dame right back. Justin Davis with a big touch and then out-muscling two defenders, a far post rocket which glanced off the inside of the far post. 2-1 Lobos in overtime. A great win! Tremendous demonstration of commitment, desire, quality and teamwork!

We are now back home for two big matches this weekend at the Nike/TLC Plumbing and Utilities Invitational. University of California Davis on Friday at 7:00 and Gonzaga, Sunday at 1:30. We will be rested and ready to get rolling in front of our home fans. Thanks for all your support and see you this Friday night!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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September 6, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

What a tremendous turnout for our home opener last night! A sea of red, the steady beat of drummers, positive energy and the optimistic attitude of all who braved the ominous threat of late summer rain and lightning. The weather held and proved to be perfect for soccer, unlike the outcome of our match. After a sleepless night drifting in and out of semi-consciousness, I figured it would be cathartic to write this painful e-mail and then move on to our next match. Fueled up with my second cup of coffee at 6:00 am Sunday morning, here I go:

September 5, 2009: Lobos vs. #22 San Francisco 7:00 PM

San Francisco is a team we've had a good deal of success against the past three years. We watched video of their season-opening 4-1 victory over UMKC and felt we matched up very well against the Dons. Their attaching front four players were quality (played a 4-3-3 with a high center midfielder), but they had questions in the back. The game started out very well for us and we controlled the tempo and created numerous scoring chances in the early going. We were unable to put the ball into the net and the first half ended 0-0. The glaring negative of the first half was a knee injury to Dom Romero. Dom has battled back from two previous knee surgeries to his right knee and this time it's his left knee. We will know specifics in the next two days. We identified some areas we could improve upon at half time and felt good going into the second stanza. The possession and opportunities were all Lobos. We created chance after chance, but couldn't finish. We out shot USF 17-9 and had five corner kicks to the Dons' one. These statistics are misleading, in that they only had one decent scoring chance and we had 6-8 excellent chances in front of their goal. The game was being played in the USF defensive half and it seemed only a matter of time before we put one on the scoreboard. As the remaining time on the clock began to tick away, we upped our attack and continued to press. With 6 minutes remaining, against the flow of the game, USF linked two passes in transition and slipped behind our back four to score a well executed goal. We continued to fight, but couldn't find the net. A pretty incredible result, but soccer is a cruel game. If you allow your opponent to stay in the game late, anything can happen. I thought we played very well and created tremendous chances. Our challenge is to quickly move on, learn from our mistakes and prepare for our upcoming match. Things don't get any easier. We are off to the Midwest and the "Lion's Den". We depart this Thursday for South Bend, Indiana and matches vs. two "Top 10" teams, Indiana and Notre Dame. I'm excited for these tests against the nation's best. Thanks again for your incredible support.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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September 3, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

The New Mexico Men's Soccer Team is excited and ready to play our home opener this Saturday night, September 5th, at 7:00 PM vs the #22 ranked University of San Francisco Dons. We are expecting a record turnout and the atmosphere will be incredible! Wear red and prepare for an action packed match. We just returned from St. Louis and our season opening match on September 1st vs the #21 ranked St. Louis University Billikens.

September 1, 2009: Lobos vs #21 St. Louis University 7:00 PM

What a tremendous way to open the season. Playing a nationally ranked opponent in one of the greatest venues for collegiate soccer, St. Louis Universities Hermann Stadium. The field was manicured to perfection, 70 degrees and the soccer mad St. Louis fans turned out in numbers. Our coaching staff felt well prepared after three successful exhibition matches and two weeks of intensive training. More importantly, the boys felt prepared, confident and relaxed going into what is typically a very tense opening match. We were focused and ready to battle for 90 minutes. We started 5 seniors, 5 juniors and one sophomore. An experienced group with quality on the bench itching to make their mark. The opening 25 minutes was basically two teams finding their regular season form and playing it safe. This being said, we created the better of the chances and put good pressure on the Billikens in the early goings. Things started to open up at about 25 minutes. We found our passing rhythm, upped the tempo of play and began to play in the St. Louis half of the field. In the 35th minute, Dom Romero timed a great run behind the Billiken defense and was brought down in the penalty box. Penalty kick Lobos. Simon Ejdemyr stepped up to the 12 yard spot with confidence and slotted the ensuing kick to the keepers left. 1-0 Lobos. The half ended without further scoring and we went into the intermission cautious, but feeling good about our play.

The second half was all Lobos. We got right after 'em. 5 minutes into the second half, Mike Green slipped a beautiful ball to Justin Davis on the left side: JD took a great touch and finished with perfection. 2-0 Lobos with 40 minutes remaining on the clock. 2-0 is not a comfortable lead to have. One goal and you lead is far from safe. The third goal is the key one. Eleven minutes later, our wish came true. An explosive move down the right flank by James Urbany, a perfect near post cross from James to a streaking PJ Wilson. 3-0 Lobos with a goal just like you draw it up! What a great way to start the season! I'm real proud of our team. Their dedication to excellence the past 8 months showed. Exciting soccer to come from this group!

Hope to see all of you this Saturday night at 7:00 in Albuquerque. Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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August 24, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Returned late last night from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two exhibition matches vs #12 ranked University of Tulsa and Oral Roberts University this past weekend. Preseason is officially over with the opening day of classes today. The reality of the term "Student Athlete" has kicked in for the players. Before I give you the rundown on the weekend, I wanted to make sure you had a chance to down load the brochure for our Lobo Men's Soccer Booster Club, the Golden Goal Club:

Click HERE for your 2009 Golden Goal Club brochure.

If the brochure doesn't pop up, just click "complete version" and it should appear.

Our sports information department just completed a short video from our preseason training with some clips and interviews. Here is the link for the soccer home page and the video will appear on the right hand side of the page:

PRESEASON VIDEO

LOBOS VS #12 UNIVERSITY OF TULSA AND ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY

The entire team blasted off from the Albuquerque Sunport Thursday morning at 9:40. The boys looked sharp in coat and tie and things went without a hitch on the always challenging first trip of the year. We arrived in Tulsa, checked into our hotel and headed off to the University of Tulsa for a light training session. Friday nights game was scheduled for a 7:00 kickoff, so we got out for another training session Friday morning. The game field was like a putting green, the stands were full and the atmosphere was tremendous for an exhibition match. Tulsa entered the match ranked #12 in the country and our boys were fired up to play! We got right at em from the kickoff. Justin Davis created two good chances in the first three minutes and in the fourth minute Stephen Brown blasted a volley into the net off a Justin Davis throw-in. 1-0 Lobos. We continued to play well and were rewarded again in the 40th minute with a tremendous goal from Dom Romero. Dom cut inside from the left flank and hit a beautiful bending ball to the far post with the inside of his right foot. Big Time goal! 2-0 Lobos at half. Two minutes into the second half, we made an unforced error and gave Tulsa a direct kick at the edge of our box. Great finish and our lead was cut in half. We were unfazed and put our third goal on the board in the 63rd minute from a 50 yard blast from Stephen Brown. Brown caught the keeper off his line and hit a tremendous shot from deep. 3-1 Lobos. In the 75th minute, another preseason error and we gave up a very soft goal to make it 3-2. The match finished 3-2 Lobos and we were able to play 8 players off the bench (6 seeing their first collegiate minutes) against a nationally ranked opponent. The costly mistakes won't be repeated!

Sundays match vs Oral Roberts would be the real challenge of the trip: physically and mentally. Second match in three days against a fresh opponent...heat, humidity and not the same excitement playing against an unranked opponent in a relaxed environment. The Tulsa match was easy to get up for: great teams keep their focus every match and execute regardless of fatigue or atmosphere. I was very proud of our teams preparation for the ORU game. We played very well from the kickoff. In the 17th minute, Michael Green fed a wonderful ball to PJ Wilson who slotted it away from 20 yards for the games first goal. We continued to play well and started to make substitutions in the 30th minute. Two minutes into the second half, Stephen Brown found PJ from the left flank and PJ finished with his head for our second goal and the brace. We continued to put pressure on ORU for the remainder of the half, but couldn't find the net. We were able to play 12 players off the bench and everyone who was healthy saw the field.

I'm real happy with our preseason and look forward to getting the season rolling. We play our final exhibition match at home this Thursday at 7:00 vs The University of Southern Colorado. We open up the season in Saint Louis on Tuesday, September 1st vs the nationally ranked Billikens. SLU will stream the game live. Our home opener is on Saturday, September 5th vs nationally ranked San Francisco. No hiding this year! I'll keep you posted. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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August 10, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

The New Mexico Men's Soccer Season is just around the corner. We start pre-season training this Saturday and the boys are ready to GO! I thought you'd like to read this article if you haven't come across it:

STEVENS: Leadership a Key for UNM 's 2009 Soccer Season

We've spent a great deal of time the past 8 months developing our leadership and team unity. Leadership, Unity and a belief in "understanding ones individual role on the team" will be keys to our success this season. I feel confident that everyone is on board and the right people are filling the necessary roles.

Click HEREfor our Golden Goal Brochure. The Golden Goal Club is our men's soccer booster club. Contributions go directly to men's soccer. Your continued support allows us to work towards our goal of achieving EXCELLENCE: academically, socially and on the field.

I will keep in close contact and will update you once pre-season kicks off. Thanks for your support. GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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June 3, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Just wanted to pass on the 2009 University of New Mexico Men's Soccer Schedule. Here is the release from our Sports Information Department:

Men's Soccer Announces 2009 Schedule

There is a link in the article which will allow you to download the schedule. I think this may be our most challenging schedule in the past 8 years. I'm very excited about our team and really look forward to seeing how we compete against the the country's best. Thanks for all your support and I will keep in contact over the summer. Make sure you are fit and ready for the season: preseason training starts on August 14th! See you soon.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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May 28, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Summer has arrived and it's moving way too quickly! Just wanted to keep everyone updated with the latest "Lobo Soccer News". We recently received our final two signed NLI's (National Letter of Intent)for the upcoming season. Johan Bergstrom and Brendon Boucaud will be tremendous additions to our program. Their signings, bring the incoming class to a total of 9 exciting and dynamic players. Brandon and Johan bring maturity, international flair, high level playing experience and leadership to our program. Here is the link for the press release on these two fine young men:

Men's Soccer Adds Two to 2009 Roster

Not sure if you had the chance to read a wonderful article on the Lobo Website at www.golobos.com about former Lobo goalkeepers Andrew Weber and Mike Graczyk. Andrew and Mike are both currently playing professionally for the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer (MLS). Here is the link to the article:

STEVENS: Ex-Lobo Goalies Battling It Out for MLS Playing Time

Our 2009 schedule will be released in the next two days and its possibly the most challenging schedule we've every had. It will be posted on www.golobos.com. You have to play the best, to be the BEST! I'll stay in close contact and hope you are prepared for an exciting fall season! Have a fantastic summer.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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February 24, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Life here in New Mexico is wonderful! Its been a very mild winter and the team has enjoyed the beauty of the outdoors the past two months. We just put the finishing touches on our latest Lobo Soccer video, which highlights our winter team training. The team has really put in the work the past five weeks. Here's the link to the video:

Winter Training Highlight Video

We're finalizing our spring playing schedule and I will get it out to you once final. Thanks for the support.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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February 5, 2009

Lobo Faithful:

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the winter months. It's been a wonderful, sunny winter here in New Mexico...too long without soccer. The Lobo Men's Soccer Team is done licking our wounds from the fall and the boys have really attacked their winter workouts with a vengeance! We have been back at it since the start of school on January 20th and I'm really proud of our players work ethic and commitment to being their BEST! There is a renewed sense of commitment and the realization that team goals must come first and success comes from hard work and dedication.

Yesterday, February 4th, was a big day for us; National Signing Day. We signed six tremendous recruits for next season. Here is the link to the article on our website:

Men's Soccer Inks 6 to National Letters of Intent

A brief bio of each player, a picture and my media interview on the incoming class should all pop up. This is a tremendous group of young men who will add a great deal to our program. Each is very academically motivated, team oriented, hard-working, passionate and goal driven. I feel that this is one of the top recruiting classes in the country.

The three New Mexico boys: Patrick Pacheco, Julian Roberts and Lawrence Robledo are all very familiar with our program and will join a long list of tremendous local players who have played for the Lobos. We have watched them over the years and they will bring a great deal of pride and passion to our team. They have played club soccer together for a number of years and have known nothing but success. They are all proven winners.

The two Texans, Josh Caffey and Blake Smith, are both outstanding students and soccer players. Josh and Blake are standouts on the national youth soccer stage and both are incredibly hard working and athletic players who know nothing but success.

Kyle Venter from Colorado, is another terrific student and is a natural leader and a fierce competitor. Kyle has captained his High School and club teams the past two years and is a young man who demands excellence from everyone around him. Kyle will make us better!

I will keep in touch as the spring playing season approaches. Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Nov. 19, 2008

Lobo Faithful:

Despite a fantastic finish to the 2008 New Mexico Men's Soccer Team's regular season last weekend, the campaign is unfortunately over. 11-6-2 with wins over the #4 and #5 seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament wasn't enough to keep our season and dreams alive. We have no one to blame but ourselves. We were more talented than all but one of our opponents (Akron who was our equal and whom we defeated), but mental mistakes, accountability issues and a failure to put team goals #1 contributed to our early exit. This season will prove to be one of the most important in my coaching career and will teach our players a life long lesson.

"The whole is greater than the sum of the parts"

After 17 games of ups and downs, the boys put it all together for the final push last weekend. Going into our matches, we knew that anything less than two victories would put us out of contention for an NCAA at large tournament birth. Two wins wouldn't guarantee anything, but it would give us a fighting chance to keep our season alive. Friday nights match vs The Air Force Academy was electric. From the kickoff, we showed the fighting spirit which had been missing much of the season. 21 minutes into the match, a tremendous strike by Jack Smithson found the back of the net from 25 yards. 1-0 Lobos and we kept pouring it on! We were rewarded again in the 37th minute with a great piece of finishing by Justin Davis. A ball over the top and the Air Force keeper came off his line; JD calmly lifted the ball over his head with a crafty flick to double the lead, 2-0 Lobos. This was the score entering the half. 7 minutes into the second stanza, Chris Wright got on the scoreboard with a nice finish from inside the box. 3-0 Lobos. We kept pressing looking for our forth goal, when a counter attack by the Academy found success with a well placed far post shot. 3-1 Lobos. Still pressing, Chris Wright pounced on a loose ball for his second goal of the match in the 78th minutes to make it 4-1 Lobos and this is how the match ended. A great team victory, with one more match to complete the weekend and the regular season.

Sundays match vs Denver University was a big one for many reasons. Most importantly, it was our chance for redemption and the opportunity to keep our dream of a fifth straight NCAA post season appearance alive. Denver hadn't lost a match in their last 10 games and were playing quality soccer. There was a different vibe in the locker room for this match. An energy which had been absent for quite a while. Upon leaving the locker room, I felt very confident going into this match! The game started on fire for the Lobos. Shot after shot and corner kick after corner kick. The Denver goalkeeper was a brick wall and we couldn't find the net. He made 4 point blank saves, while our keeper was never tested and didn't have to make a save the entire half. 0-0 going into the half. The second half saw more Lobo attacking play. In the 67th minute, Chris Wright beat his man off the dribble and was pulled down in the box. Penalty! Simon Ejdemyr calmly slotted the ensuing kick into the side netting to make it 1-0 Lobos. We continued to attack but failed to score another goal. The final state showed the Lobos holding a 16-5 advantage in shots and the Denver keeper making 8 saves, while our GK was never tested (didn't make a save the entire game). The 1-0 story line made the game look closer than it actually was. A quality win, with a great team effort. Everyone on the same page. With this win, we finished the regular season with record of 11-6-2 and a 7-3 conference mark.

We had to make a difficult call on Monday. Should the entire team go to Coaches Bar and Grill to watch the NCAA selection show, or should we play it safe and stay undercover in the safe confines of our locker room? We decided that we would rejoice or suffer in the eyes of the three television stations who would cover the selection show. 8 teams from the West were called: 4 conference winners and 4 at-large. We were the #5 at large team and found ourselves out of luck for the first time since 2003. A very humbling experience for all of us.

Over the course of the season, we defeated the #4 and #5 seeded teams in the entire NCAA Tournament (Michigan State and Akron), but still failed to catch the eyes and hearts of the selection committee. We slipped up vs lesser opponents.

I'm most disappointed for our three graduating seniors: Mike Porter, Jack Smithson and Chris Wright. All are warriors who have given their heart and soul to the team. Each we be a very successful man in their chosen fields. They all will be missed.

The lesson to be learned from this season, is that to be successful, you have to come out and play as a team every game for 90 minutes. Individual play must be put aside, with team goals always being the focus. This was the most talented team I've every coached: players 1-25 are all capable of being excellent collegiate players. The saying, "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" could never be more applicable. We all have learned a great lesson and I think this season will prove to one of most profound learning experiences for all involved. The same mistakes will not be repeated! Thanks for your incredible support this year and get ready for an exciting 2009! GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Nov. 11, 2008

Lobo Faithful:

A weekend of mixed results and crushing emotions. Going into the weekend's road matches with Sacramento State and San Jose State, we knew that two victories were required to stay alive in the conference race.

On Friday, we took care of business with a 2-1 hard fought overtime victory over Sacramento State. After going down a goal in the first half, Simon Ejdymr evened up the score with a well place penalty kick early in the second half and Justin Davis blasted the winner from 20 yards in the 3rd minute of the second overtime. Not the prettiest of games, but we fought hard and got the needed result. Sunday didn't prove to be as kind.

We drove to San Jose Saturday morning and were unable to get on the game or training field. The Spartans had a home football game and their facilities staff wasn't too accommodating. The soccer team shares a grass stadium with football and with the rain which hit Northern California, the field was a mess down the center. Four minutes into the match, we were caught sleeping as a ball was slipped between two of our defenders. 1-0 Spartans. From this point on, San Jose packed it in and defended fiercely. We controlled the game, but couldn't really move the ball due to field conditions. The only way to goal, was through service from wide areas and second balls in the box. We didn't execute on numerous chances and saw our plans for a fifth straight conference title crushed.

Denver University clinched the MPSF Title with their 1-0 win over Air Force on Saturday. Hard to believe, but for the first time since 2000, the Lobos are out of the conference race prior to the final game.

Our final two games will prove to be a great test of character and a chance to send our three seniors out in style here at home. This being said, we still have a chance at receiving an NCAA at-large bid with two wins in our final contests. Regardless of how the season plays out, Mike Porter, Jack Smithson and Chris Wright will finish their careers with great distinction.

The regular season finishes up at home with matches this Friday night at 7:00 vs Air Force and Sunday at 1:00 vs Denver. Thanks for the continued support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Nov. 5, 2008

Lobo Faithful:

Six conference matches down, four to go. No margin for error and we are playing with confidence and scoring goals. Friday nights home Halloween encounter vs UNLV was more exciting/scary than necessary. We were well prepared for the match and there was a great desire to get a result after a disappointing loss in Las Vegas two weeks ago. The week leading up to the game was our first week with all players healthy and training (minus the three players out with season ending injuries).

The game started out well and the match was played in the Rebel half with the majority of possession by the Lobos. Our play was rewarded in the 41st minute, when a direct kick taken by Jack Smithson found Justin Davis on the far post. 1-0 Lobos going into half time. The second half started strong, but in the 56th minute, UNLV was awarded a penalty kick on a questionable handball against the run of play. Nice finish and the game was even, 1-1. We quickly gathered our wits and moved the ball around nicely. In the 64th minute, PJ Wilson was taken down in the penalty box and the official pointed to the penalty spot. Simon Edjymr slotted away the ensuing penalty kick to make it 2-1 Lobos. With a bit of comfort, we continued to play well and put a third goal on the board in the 76th minute off a throw-in. Zach Tierney to Justin Davis and a great finish by Mike Porter. 3-1 Lobos. UNLV had no quit in them and with four minutes left on the clock, a miscue in the box and a great finish by UNLV, made it 3-2. We held on with intelligent play the remaining four minutes and came away with a 3-2 victory. Our fifth win in the last six matches.

We travel to Northern California this upcoming weekend for matches vs Sacramento State and San Jose State. Thanks for the support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Oct. 28, 2008

Lobo Faithful:

New Mexico Men's Soccer has won four of our last five matches and we are ready for a big one at home this Friday night vs UNLV. We played in Vegas two weeks ago and lost a very disappointing game, 2-1. This Friday night will be a different story!

We just put the finishing touches on a three minute video "The life of a Lobo Soccer Player". Here is the U-tube video link.

Last weekend we battled the Stanford Cardinal in a non-conference home match on Friday night. Great crowd, beautiful evening and the right result! We played well at the kickoff, but lost rhythm about 15 minutes into the match. In the 29th minute, Stanford scored a quality combination goal to go up 1-0. Something wasn't clicking with us and the past 15 minutes had been chaotic. We were without the services of captain Simon Ejdymr (central defender) and the resurgent, David Murphy (coming back from knee surgery). We didn't know what was happening...confidence, fear... Without gaining back control of the match, we held ground for the next 5 minutes. In the 35th minute, we got what we had been looking for: a world class goal from PJ Wilson to even the score at 1-1. PJ hit a side volley from 30 yards which brought everyone to their feet. We finished out the half with a sigh of relief and re-grouped at halftime.

The second half proved to be all Lobos. We created numerous chances and got a tight grasp on the match. In the 83rd minute we were finally rewarded for the numerous chances we had been creating: tremendous combination play between Michael Green and Justin Davis led to the winning Lobo goal by Davis. 2-1 Lobos in a "much too entertaining" match. Spirits are high going into this weekends re-match with UNLV. Thanks for the support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Oct. 20, 2008

Lobo Faithful:

The Vegas jinx continues! Tough match on Friday night in the "Sin City". The team trained with skill and passion all week and the boys were very sharp going into Friday nights road match vs the Rebels of UNLV. We were without the services of captain Simon Ejdymr for the second game in a row, but the remainder of the team was fit (Euan Holden not 100% back from injury, but now training and fit to play on the 24th). We came out strong and created numerous scoring chances in the first half. Chances don't equate to goals and our inability to finish early would prove fatal. The first 45 minutes ended deadlocked at 0-0. We felt good about our play in the first stanza and felt the the goals would come. Complacency and overconfidence were our only concerns.

Looking and feeling good for the second half kickoff, disaster struck. 7 minutes into half, a Lobo give-a-way in the Rebel half, good transition, two passes and a deflected shot found the corner of our net. 1-0 UNLV in what had been a very one-sided match up until this point. 90 seconds later, still rattled by our misfortune, a give-a-way at midfield and an incredible finish by UNLV: 2-0 UNLV and total disbelief on the field and on our bench. To the boys credit, we battled back and created quality chances, but couldn't complete the final pass or the necessary finish. In the 80th minute, a great cross from Justin Davis found Chris Wright who nodded it into the net to draw us within one. We created several more dangerous chances over the final 10 minutes, but couldn't capitalize. We out-shot, had more corner kicks, our keeper made half the saves asked of his counterpart, but we came out on the wrong end of the 2-1 score sheet. What a gut wrenching result for the Lobos!

We now stand at 6-5-2 for the season and 3-2-0 in the conference with five conference matches remaining. With the UNLV loss, we no longer control our own destiny and will rely on Denver dropping a match prior to our final game (vs Denver) on November 16th. Our home game this Friday night is a non-conference match vs Pac-10 foe, Stanford. Another quality opponent who should give us a great test. Thanks for your unconditional support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Oct. 14, 2008

Lobo Faithful:

A quality and refreshing weekend for New Mexico Men's Soccer. Two big home matches vs always difficult California opponents; San Jose State and Sacramento State. San Jose and Sacramento State are both off to their best starts in recent history and this weekends matches would set the tone for the conference championship race. We had an excellent week of training coming off our win over Air Force last Sunday and the team seems to have made peace with the pressure which surrounds them every game.

Friday nights match vs San Jose was a battle for the first 45 minutes. Both teams came out strong, with San Jose playing some of their best soccer with great confidence. The second half proved to be all Lobos, but owning possession and creating scoring chances doesn't always equate to scoring goals and winning games. We played great soccer for 45 minutes and dominated the second half. Beautiful to watch, but stressful from the bench. We couldn't put the ball in the net, but played very, very well. Regulation ended 0-0, but we were creating chances and felt good going into overtime. We were rewarded right away. Two great scoring chances in the first minute and a half and in the second minute of overtime, Jack Smithson beat his man to the end line and served a great ball into the box. Justin Davis made a well timed run from the left flank and headed the ball near post for the "sudden victory" goal and a 1-0 Lobo win. It sure was good to get an overtime victory.

Sunday's game vs Sacramento would be a challenge. Afternoon game, smaller crowd and heavy legs. We warmed up well and came out on fire! Four minutes in, we had throw-in 30 yards from the Sac State goal. Zach Tierney found Simon Ejdemyr's head near post for a flick far post. Justin Davis read the play and made a great run across the face of the goal and netted his second goal in two games. 1-0 Lobos and looking good. Three minutes later, we were awarded a penalty kick. Simon Ejdemyr slotted the ball into the side netting to make it 2-0 Lobos in the early going. To Sacramento States credit, they battled on and we failed to put away the deciding third goal. While we dominated play for the next 60 minutes, a two goal lead isn't a safe one. As fate would have it, in the 69th minute, Sac State was awarded a very questionable penalty. Well placed shot and the score was now 2-1 Lobos. The next 21 minutes were tense, but we defended well and came away with a 2-1 victory. Our first weekend sweep of the year.

We play Friday night in Las Vegas. Always a difficult place to play with the inherent distractions. I feel very good about our team and am excited for our remaining 7 matches. We are still without the services of two key players, PJ Wilson and Euan Hoden, but we hope to see them back in the next two weeks. Thanks for all your support and GO LOBOS!

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Oct. 7, 2008

Lobo Faithful:

Lobo Men's Soccer is finally..... ready to roll! We are close to full strength, humble(d), excited, positive and everyone feels energized and ready to attack our upcoming matches. Expect EXCITEMENT in the upcoming weeks. We opened conference play on the road this past weekend.... unfortunately with mixed results.

On Friday, October 3rd, we kicked off the conference slate with a very disappointing 1-0 road loss to Denver University. We were without the services of 4 starters (3 players for previous playing infractions and one player with injury), but still felt very confident with the line-up we put on the field. I felt that we saw the better of play in the first half and played some of our best attacking soccer of the year. 5 minutes into the second half, Denver was awarded a direct kick 30 yards from our goal. Not a real dangerous situation, but one never knows. On the ensuing play, the ball deflected off one of our players (covering space wide of the wall), changed direction and hit the outside of the post. The rebound bounced perfectly to to a Denver player, who tapped it into the net for a 1-0 lead. We battled back, but couldn't find the well protected Denver net. The 1-0 loss was a hard one to swallow. Once again, "Lady Luck" wasn't on our side.

On Sunday the 5th, two of the four missing players were back and the team finally hit stride (remaining two still out with injuries). A convincing 4-0 victory over Air Force in always difficult, Colorado Springs. The bus ride home was bittersweet, but confidence appears to have returned.

This years team is very talented and we have played tremendous soccer for long stretches in every game. Its now crunch time and the margin for error is very slim. We are back at home this weekend for two big matches: San Jose State, Friday at 7:00 PM and Sacramento State on Sunday at 1:00. Thanks for your continued support and we hope to see you in the stands this weekend! Friday night is "Pack the Stadium" night and all tickets are $2.00.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Fishbein
Head Men's Soccer Coach
University of New Mexico

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Lobos Men's Soccer

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