LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's soccer team hits the road for the Battle of I 25 against rival New Mexico on Friday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m. (MT) in Albuquerque, N.M.
 
Where to Watch
Aggie fans unable to make the trip to Albuquerque can watch all the action via live stream from the Mountain West Network.
 
Follow Along
Follow along with every NM State women's soccer match throughout the season via live stats from StatBroadcast.
 
Kickin' Childhood Cancer
Despite the rivalry, New Mexico State women's soccer and UNM women's soccer are teaming up to help fight childhood cancer. The aim is to promote Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and raise money for the Children's Cancer Fund of New Mexico. If you are unable to make it to the game, you can still help by donating through GoFundMe.
 
Quick Hits
The Aggies travel to the Duke City for a matchup of in-state rivals on Friday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m. (MT).
 
This is the third and final time New Mexico State faces a Mountain West opponent in 2018. NM State fell to San Diego State 1-0 in the season-opener while it lost to Boise State 3-2 in double-overtime on Sept. 9.
 
Seven different Aggies have found the back of the net in 2018 including Aileen Galicia, Emma Smith, Samantha Afonso, Kelly Burton, Katie Martinez, Micaela Milavec and Rebecca Mazzie. Galicia leads NM State in points (8) and goals (4) with Martinez (2g), Smith (1g, 2a) and freshman Alexa Barrera (4a) tied for second on the team with four points.
 
Galicia's four goals are good for a third-place tie in the Western Athletic Conference while Barrera's four assists put her in a second-place tie in the WAC.
 
Barrera's four assists are also good for 29^th nationally while she ranks 43^rd in assists per game (0.57).
 
New Year, New Katie
After appearing in 11 games at defender in 2017, sophomore Katie Martinez has played in all seven games in 2018 while starting in three - but this year as a forward.
 
Head coach Rob Baarts converted the 5-9 Martinez to the forward position for 2018 and inserted her into the starting lineup when the Aggies switched from a 4-3-3 formation to a 4-4-2 prior to their match against Northern Illinois.
 
The change paid off immediately as Martinez notched her first goal of the season, in her first start, just 15 seconds into New Mexico State's 3-0 victory over NIU, the fastest goal to open a game in NM State history.
 
Martinez scored again in her third start against Boise State when she received an aerial through ball from Emma Smith and found the back of the net to tie the game at one in the 72^nd minute.
 
A Look at the Lobos
This is the ninth all-time meeting between the programs with the rivals playing each other every year since 2010. New Mexico State won last year's matchup when Audriana Chavez scored with just 48 seconds to play in regulation to deliver a 1-0 win for the Aggies' first-ever victory over their in-state rival. Dmitri Fong, who transferred from UNM, made seven saves against her former school.
 
New Mexico currently sits at 3-3 and is coming off a 2-1 home victory over UTEP which snapped a two-game losing streak that saw the Lobos lose 2-1 at San Francisco and 1-0 at UC Davis. UNM's two other victories came at home against Idaho State (5-0) and Pacific (4-2).
 
The Lobos' attack is led by junior midfielder Jessie Hix. Hix has notched three goals and an assist so far this season while her seven points lead New Mexico. Her three goals place her in a fifth-place tie in the Mountain West.
 
Teammate Alesia Garcia also has three goals on the season. The freshman midfielder is second on the team in points (6) while her three goals put her in a fifth-place tie in the MWC.
 
Two Lobos have split time at goalie this season in junior Emily Johnson and redshirt freshman Malia Vanisi. Johnson has made four starts while appearing in five games while Vanisi has started two games while appearing in four. Vanisi is 2-0 on the season and Johnson sits at 1-3. Johnson has made 22 saves on the year for a sixth-place tie in the MWC.
 
Weekend in Review
Boise State and 2017 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year Raimee Sherle visited the Soccer Athletic Complex on Sunday, Sept. 9. Sherle was as good as advertised, notching a hat trick and scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime to give the Broncos a 3-2 win.
 
After Sherle's first goal gave BSU a 1-0 lead, NM State was able to tie it up when Katie Martinez received a through ball from Emma Smith and buried it in the 72^nd minute. Sherle again gave Boise State the lead in the 78^th minute but the Aggies tied it up again in the 89^th minute after Bronco goalie Tara Fisher was assessed a delay of game penalty and New Mexico State was given a free kick.
 
Alexa Barrera played a short ball to Aileen Galicia on the free kick who curved it around the wall and in to equalize at two. However, Sherle would cap off her hat trick with the Golden Goal in double-overtime for a final score of 3-2.
 
Up Next
New Mexico State returns to the City of Crosses for a match against South Dakota of the Summit League on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 4 p.m. (MT) before wrapping up its non-conference slate at Battle of I 10 rival UTEP on Sunday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. Fans unable to make it to the Soccer Athletic Complex can watch the South Dakota match thanks to live streaming from the WAC Digital Network. The Aggies' rivalry match at UTEP is set to be streamed on Watch Conference USA.