ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Devon Sandoval scored two goals in a seven-minute span as the University of New Mexico rallied for a 2-1 overtime victory defending NCAA Division II champion Fort Lewis College Friday night at the UNM Soccer Complex in the final exhibition game for both teams.
For nearly 85 minutes, the Skyhawks had the perennial Mountain Pacific Sports Federation powerhouse on the ropes. Senior midfielder Byron Cephers slipped a shot past Lobo goalkeeper Justin Holmes at 24:08 to give FLC a 1-0 lead. The goal came off a free kick, with several Skyhawks jockeying for position in front of the UNM keeper. Junior midfielder Thomas Hoang took the free kick from the left of the goal just outside the box. His kick found the feet of Cephers, who won the ball and gave FLC a lead it held for the next 60 minutes.
But hometown hero Sandoval (a graduate of Albuquerque's Eldorado High School) blasted a shot past first-year Skyhawk goalkeeper Kamran Khyltash at 84:30 to level the score at 1-1.
Just 1:20 into overtime, Sandoval struck again to give the Lobos the win, finishing from 10 feet out.
“We are a proud team and we showed it tonight,” said UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein, who began his collegiate coaching career at Fort Lewis in 1992 and is a member of the FLC Athletic Hall of Fame. “Coming back like this is good for our confidence. I'm proud of this team and I expect good things from them.”
While the Lobos averted an upset bid, the Skyhawks viewed their showing as proof that they're among the nation's elite teams at any level.
“We got a little bit tired toward the end, but for 85 minutes, we dominated,” second-year FLC head coach Oige Kennedy told the Durango Herald.
“That's a very strong program, and our guys all played at a Division I level. I think the guys showed that the top end of Division II is not to far away from the top end of Division I.”
The Lobos took 12 shots in the game, four of which were on goal. The Skyhawks sent seven shots at UNM keepers Holmes and Victor Rodriquez, who played the second half and overtime. Four of FLC's shots were on goal.
Khyltash finished the game with 2 saves in 91:20 of action.
Hoang led the offensive attack with three shots, while senior forward Abdel Becerra had two.
The No. 1-ranked Skyhawks open defense of their national title at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3, when they travel to Golden to face arch-rival Colorado School of Mines. Although the Skyhawks and Orediggers are Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foes, the game is a non-conference affair. FLC also plays regional power West Texas A&M University at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5 at the CSM Soccer Complex.
Both of FLC's opening weekend opponents are ranked in the Top 20, with West Texas A&M at No. 11 and Colorado Mines at No. 18. And both teams are looking to avenge NCAA playoff losses to Fort Lewis. The Skyhawks beat Colorado Mines 3-0 on Nov. 13, 2009, and West Texas A&M 3-1 two days later en route to their second national title in five seasons.
“That's a big opening weekend for us,” Kennedy told the Durango Herald. “Those are two big games. But like I've said before, we'll play anybody, anytime, anywhere.”
