As the field sat under a downpour of rain, the New Mexico State Aggies faced off against the Louisiana Tech University (LA Tech) Bulldogs on Oct. 11. Despite the adverse weather, parents and fans alike showed out for the Aggies Senior night.
With the field already soaked before kickoff, a foul on NMSU started off the game and allowed the first penalty kick to LA Tech. Both teams showcased their fierceness, battling back and forth – and with the Aggies having not won a game since August, their fighting determination to start a win streak resonated through the field.
LA Tech’s freshman goalkeeper Ansley Ittel posed much of a threat, starting three attacks with back-to-back goal kicks, but NMSU’s goalkeeper Valerie Guha,; hailing from Friedberg Germany, put up an equal fight.
NMSU’s forward Ariana Leamons was another common intimidation on the field tonight, becoming an aggressive force with a bottom left of net shot that was only blocked only a sliver away by Ittel, and one of five shots she fired this game.
The strength of NMSU’s defense was a sight to see – the ball stuck close to Aggie’s feet and outdid the Bulldogs with shots on goal, with 8 shots in the first quarter for NMSU compared to 3 for LATech.
A foul on the Bulldogs then awarded Aggie senior Meredith Scott a free kick, solidifying the Aggie’s defense power thus far on the field. As of this season, Scott is tied with two other Aggies – Amaya Simoni-Walters and Ariana Leamons – for most goals of the season.
A quick shot on the bottom center net by LA Tech’s sophomore Annie Meador was swept up by Guha, who was faced with a total of 8 shots in this game.
A game-shaking score by Amaya Simoni-Walters resulting from the LA Tech goalkeeper straying from the net, lit up the field and boosted the Aggies energy, pinning up the first point on the board, now at 1-0.
Two following shots by NMSU’s Blakely Edgar and Marlee Cavitt further picked up the games pace, and as the rain died down slightly along with the time on the clock, spirits were high going into the second half.
As the next half launched, the Aggies kept up their hot streak with a feisty shot by Meredith Scott. Despite LA Tech’s corner kick moments before, NMSU’s Ariana Ellison brought it back home with a swift shot on goal.
A foul on NMSU’s Ariana Leamons awarded a free kick to Bulldog Abby Hanton, but a close shot by Amaya Simoni-Walters helped the Aggies hold onto their aggression, and cheers continued from the crowd and sidelines alike; especially from the friends and family of the seniors.
“[They] were playing really strong, stronger than [they’ve] been playing,” Aggie soccer fan and supporter Pablo Gonzalez said. “So, it was definitely good to see that, and see them working together.”
The Bulldogs added their first point on the scoreboard with a goal by Avery Jacobs, pinning them on the board at 1-1. The newfound tie was then almost immediately answered by a shot by Mya Gonzales, but after a slight dispute was called as an offside resulting in no points.
With 15 minutes left in the half, another goal from LA Tech’s Shani Sirota, sweeping past Guha on the bottom left, resulted in NMSU now having to catch up as their score was surpassed at 1-2.
NMSU fired off multiple shots in an attempt to get the Aggies back ahead on board, but ultimately was shut out by the Bulldogs.
A foul on LA Tech gave NMSU a free kick and allowed Aggie Ariana Ellison to shoot one last time, but as the clock drained and time to recover dwindled, the Bulldog’s championing score was finalized at 1-2.
“You can’t have such a great first half performance, [then] drop off and let them back in the game,” Head Coach Rob Baarts said. “We talked about it at halftime, that this game was so far from over, and we just didn’t get it done.”
Aggie soccer will return with an away game Oct. 16 at 6:00 p.m. against Middle Tennessee State University.
