Fresno State Athletics
Top-seeded Sacramento State Stunned by New Mexico 3-2
11/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 8, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - The University of New Mexico men's soccer team pulled off their biggest win of the season, at just the right time, Thursday afternoon in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament. The 8th seeded Lobos (4-11-2, 1-6-1 MPSF) knocked off top seeded Sacramento State (5-9-4, 4-2-1 MPSF) 3-2 in overtime. New Mexico had been winless in conference play this season until senior forward Ty Hibbert scored in the 103rd minute of play, advancing the Lobos to Friday's semifinal match.
Things were not looking good for UNM early in the match. Sacramento State ran up a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes of play. Goals by Hornet players Hjalti Kristjansson and Sean Luigs put the Lobos down early. However, the Lobos came back quickly with a goal of their own in the 11th minute of play. Junior midfielder Junro Narita scored on a cross by Hibbert to pull the Lobos within one goal.
The scoring stalled for over 70 minutes of play and it looked as if Sacramento State would survive and advance. That was until the 81st minute of play, when Hibbert decided he was not ready to end his Lobo career. Hibbert connected with teammate William Junot for his seventh goal of the season and Junot's team-leading fouth assist.
Hibbert stepped up again in overtime with his second goal and fifth point of the game to give the Lobos a chance to play at least one more game in the 2001 season. UNM will face the 5th seed, UNLV (9-7-1, 4-3-1 MPSF), tomorrow at 5 PM in the semifinal match in Fresno, California. The Lobos lost to the Rebels in Albuquerque, 4-1, on Sunday. UNLV defeated the 4th seed, San Diego State, in the first round to advance.
