Aggies fall to Miners in Battle of I-10

By Zack Ponce

The Battle of I-10 was won after only one quarter of play.

UTEP defeated New Mexico State 41-28 Saturday night at the Sun Bowl.  The Miners scored on their first four possessions of the game and never relinquished the momentum and lead.

“I’m not ready to say that we’re not a very good football team, but for four quarters we’re not very good right now,” NMSU head coach Dwayne Walker said.  “If it’s not one thing, it’s another.  First the third quarter (in reference to the loss to Ohio) and now it was the first half.”

The Aggies struggled to move the ball on offense in the first half while the defense couldn’t stop the UTEP passing game.

“They were just pitch and catching [the ball] which wasn’t killing us but it was moving the sticks,” Walker said.

New Mexico State played a soft-zone coverage throughout the first half, allowing UTEP quarterback Nick Lamaison to pass for 204 first-half yards and two touchdowns.

Offensively, New Mexico State managed only two first downs through the middle of the second quarter before quarterback Andrew Manley threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to receiver Austin Franklin off a play-action pass.

The Aggies entered halftime trailing the Miners 27-7; and tallied just four rushing yards on 11 carries.

“I thought it got better as the game went on, but again we can’t get off to a start like that and expect to win against a good football team,” Walker said in reference to the running game.

The Aggies began the second half with two consecutive defensive stops and pulled within 13 points of UTEP by the middle of the third quarter – trailing 27-14.

“We came out in the second half and tried to make the adjustment to press [UTEP’s receivers] a little bit and I think it worked out quite well,” cornerback Darien Johnson said.

However New Mexico State was never able to fully curb UTEP’s momentum. 

Another Miner touchdown to start the fourth quarter gave UTEP a 41-14 lead, all but sealing the Aggies’ fate.

“We got a lot of work to do, but the good part about it is it’s only three games,” Walker said.  “Maybe this is where we should be anyway but we have some games left, and we just have to continue to get better as a football team.”

The loss drops New Mexico State to 1-2 on the season.  The Aggies have now lost the last 13 out of 14 games played at the Sun Bowl; and have dropped four consecutive games to the Miners.  The Aggies’ lone win in El Paso came in 2008.

New Mexico State won’t have any time to rest however as they host in-state rival New Mexico (1-3) in the Battle of I-25 on Saturday at 6 p.m. 

Aggie soccer has ‘deflating’ home-opening weekend

Photo By: Tim Barnett-Queen

By Zack Ponce

The New Mexico State women’s soccer team christened their brand new NMSU Soccer Complex with losses to Weber State – 4-1 on Sunday – and Sam Houston State – 1-0 in overtime on Friday.

NM State falls to a record of 1-4-1 on the season with the losses.

“It was kind of a weird day, we played way better than we did Friday,” head coach Blair Quinn said after Sunday’s match against Weber State.  “Friday there was just no emotion, no passion, no energy, and today we had a ton of that.  Right now it’s about the progress we’re making and the process, and it’s a long process.”

The Aggies continued to struggle to maintain possession of the ball against a tough and energetic Wildcat team, but were still able to create some scoring chances. 

Momentum swung permanently in Weber State’s favor when WSU’s Abbey Kennedy scored a goal in the 41st minute, not even a minute after Layla Todd scored a goal to tie the match at 1-1 for NM State.

“You score a goal and then you give one up within five minutes of that…it’s deflating,” Quinn said.  “That’s the best word for it because you’ve just done the work to put yourself in the lead or even the game, and then all your work is gone in a matter of minutes.”

“Deflating” could also be used to describe NM State’s season-to-date as a whole.

The Aggies suffered a gut-wrenching defeat to Sam Houston State on Friday in overtime after Katie Smith’s shot around the 85th minute hit the left post and started rolling near the goal line; but the ball was snatched-up by the goalkeeper before the ball crossed the line.

Quinn has also commented in the past that NM State has allowed a few “fluky” goals, and is content with the play of goalkeepers Jessica Schutter and Mikaela Bitner.

“We’ve given up five goals in five games up until today which is still not were you want to be,” Quinn said.  “But having said that…you would think our record would be better.”

However there is no time for the Aggies to hang their heads and become demoralized.  New Mexico State hosts Interstate-10 rival Texas-El Paso on Wednesday at 4 p.m., which lands in the middle of a five-games in ten-days stretch for the Aggies.

“[A win] would be huge for our confidence level right now because they’re not feeling very good about themselves,” Quinn said.  “[UTEP] will be…fast, physical, aggressive, and they will high press the heck out of us.  It’ll seem like they’re playing with four forwards sometimes because they put so many people forward,” Quinn added.  “The positive and opposite side of that is they put so many people forward there is space to play behind them, [and] we have to find that space faster.”

Volleyball Transfers Brown, Loerch Enjoying New Home

By: Zack Ponce 

Ciara Brown

Lauren Loerch

Setter Ciara Brown and outside hitter Lauren Loerch, both juniors, transferred to New Mexico State over the past summer.  While their reasons for leaving their former schools differ, their goals are the same – win immediately at New Mexico State.

Brown joins the 2012 Aggies squad after playing at Virginia Commonwealth for two seasons.  Brown was named to the Colonial Athletic Association’s All-Rookie Team in 2010, leading the Rams in assists.  Unfortunately Brown suffered a severe ankle sprain during the 2011 preseason, and only played in 13 sets for VCU during her sophomore year.

“I was out for probably a good month, and during that month was when I decided to transfer,” Brown said.  “I actually visited [NM State] when all the girls were already on Christmas break because VCU got out later…I had never really been to the west coast and never been to New Mexico.”

Brown, a native of Fort Myers, Fla., also visited Kansas State, St. Johns, and Winthrop, along with New Mexico State.  She said her biggest factor when considering schools was the strength of the volleyball program.

“The three girls I met, Desiree, Kelsey Phillips, and Michelle were really big promoters of the competitive level here and they’re the ones that really helped me decide,” Brown said of her Christmas visit to Las Cruces.  “I wanted to go to a better level of volleyball…[NM State] had the best level and an opportunity to contribute right away.”

While Brown transitioned to a higher level of competition, Loerch made a lateral move to New Mexico State.

Loerch, who was raised in Georgetown, Texas, signed with the California-Berkeley Golden Bears out of high school but only played in spurts over the course of her first two years.

“I chose to transfer because there are better opportunities [at NM State],” Loerch said.  “I know the program here and I know it’s really good.”

Loerch’s cousin, three-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection Stevi Adams-Maytubby, played for head coach Mike Jordan from 2001-04 and sold her on the Aggie program.

“It was time for a change,” she commented.  “I will always have great friends over at Cal, but I’m really happy with the transfer here and am looking forward to the memories I will make.”

Loerch’s decision was made even tougher because of the caliber of team from which she walked away.  Loerch was a freshman on the 2010 Golden Bear squad that lost to Penn State in the NCAA National Championship Match.

The signing of Brown and Loerch was just as beneficial for New Mexico State as it was for the two ladies.

The Aggies entered 2012 needing to replace former stars – setter Jennah DeVries, a three-time AVCA All-American selection, and middle blocker Kelsey Brennan, a three-time All-WAC selection.

Brown and Loerch quickly acclimated to the team and have immediately increased the overall talent of New Mexico State.

Brown, who was named to the Colonial Athletic Association’s All-Rookie Team in 2010, has become the Aggies’ top setter and leads the team in assists.  Meanwhile Loerch has solidified herself as one of New Mexico State’s top offensive killers, along with Meredith Hays and Desiree Scott.

Loerch also brings the experience and knowledge of the individual and team effort required to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament from her time at California.

“I know [NM State hasn’t] gone to the NCAA tournament in a while and I wanted to be a part of that, and help lead the team far into the tournament,” she said.

The last time New Mexico State appeared in the NCAA Tournament was in 2008 when, ironically, the Aggies lost 3-1 to the Golden Bears.

“Everybody is passionate about the sport and we’re all on the same page working towards the same goal together,” Loerch said of the similarities between the 2010 Golden Bears and the 2012 Aggies.  “There’s nobody that’s not focused or anything like that.”

The two transfers agree that Jordan’s coaching style is a major strength of the team.

“I love the way he coaches,” Loerch smiled.  “It was really easy for me to step in and be coached by him.  I know that he wants the best for me and the whole team, and I really admire that…I love being pushed.”

“Obviously coach Jordan is very intense but I like that about him,” Brown laughed.  “He wants us to be competitive and kind of digs to get that competitive edge.  It’s sometimes shocking, but overall it makes you the most mentally tough and physically tough athlete that you can be.”

Overall both ladies have no regrets about transferring to New Mexico State and enjoy what the city of Las Cruces has to offer off the court.

“Yea I love it,” Brown said.  “Obviously Florida is beautiful but I wanted to be away, grow up on my own, experience life, and see different parts of the country.”

“It’s actually so much more beautiful than I expected.” Loerch exclaimed about the environment.  “People [ask] ‘how does it contrast with Berkeley?’…Berkeley’s really green, but [Las Cruces] is a different kind of beautiful,” Loerch added.  “The mountains and the amazing sunsets, the culture… everybody’s so friendly, welcoming, and nice.  I love it.”