Match Sixteen
NM State (8-5-2, 5-0-1 CUSA) vs. Sam Houston (5-6-2, 3-3 CUSA)
Sunday, Oct. 22 | 1 p.m. (MT) | NM State Soccer Complex | Las Cruces, N.M.
 
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – There's no place like home. Under Head Coach Rob Baarts, the Aggies have secured winning home records in each of the past four seasons, including a 4-2-2 record from the NM State Soccer Complex during the 2023 campaign. On Sunday, NM State (8-5-2, 5-0-1) welcomes Sam Houston (5-6-2, 3-3 CUSA) for the final home contest of the year.
 
While this marks the end of Aggie soccer in the City of Crosses, NM State will be back in action next Friday for their season finale against Western Kentucky. Following the conclusion of next Friday's match, the Aggies will begin to prepare for the CUSA Tournament, held Nov. 1-5 in Ruston, La. – home of Louisiana Tech. The Crimson & White currently top the conference with 16 points, while also owning the tiebreaker over second-place Liberty following a 2-0 Aggie victory on Sept. 30.
 
First kick between the Aggies and Bearkats is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT. Fans can stream the action on ESPN+ or follow along thanks to StatBroadcast.
 
Since the start of conference play, NM State has turned into one of the most dangerous offenses in CUSA, ranking first in points (43), goals (14), and assists (15). Senior Loma McNeese has paved the way for the Crimson & White offensively, leading the conference in goals (5), shots on goal (11), points (13), while also ranking second in shots (17) and assists (3).
 
Match Recap | NM State 1, FIU 1 | 10.12.23
 

• Following the Aggies' pregame senior ceremony, FIU proved to the Aggies they would be in for a fight just five minutes into the game as Kim Schneider score the contest's first goal of the night.
• The Aggie offense was able to break through off of a free kick played into the box by Brooke Schultz. From Schultz's kick, Gia Valenti had the first crack at the goal, however, her shot ricocheted off the cross bar and back into play. The ball then bounced into the area of Loma McNeese who headed in the equalizer in the 37^th minute.
• In the 72^nd minute, the Aggies' Shila Rasoul nearly put in the game-winner, however, the FIU goalie snagged the strike from the freshman attacker. A little over 10 minutes later, the Panthers' Nikole Solis tested the Aggies with a shot that Valeria Guha had to handle.

 
Scouting the Bearkats
 
Head Coach Sonia Curvelo leads the Panthers, currently in her second season with the team after previous stops at Prarie View (37-25-5 record with the team), Mississippi Valley State (30-54-11) and Cleveland State (21-30-4). With an 8-17-4 mark through most of two seasons with the Bearkats, Curvelo sports a career record of 96-126-24. This season, Sam Houston is 5-6-2, with a 3-3 mark in CUSA play, currently the sixth and final team set to qualify for the CUSA Tournament.
 
Sophomore Pam Murray leads the Bearkats in goals scored with four this season, while true freshman midfielder Ariana Carrington has recorded a team-high four assists.
 
Senior Savannah Hall has spent much of the season in the net for Sam Houston, recording 46 saves and conceding 18 goals for a 2.09 GAA. As of late, graduate goalkeeper Libby Harper has moved into the starter spot, playing all 90 minutes of the last three Bearkat contests – recording 12 saves while allowing four goals to help the team post a 2-1 record.  
 
History vs. FIU
 
While both teams are first-year members of CUSA, the Aggies and Bearkats have met on the soccer field twice prior. In 2012, the Bearkats made the journey to Las Cruces as members of the Southland Conference, taking a 1-0 victory. In 2022, as members of the Western Athletic Conference NM State traveled to Huntsville, Texas and came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal by Loma McNeese in the 59^th minute.
 
Kicks for Six
 
Starting their CUSA season on Sept. 17 against LA Tech, NM State is currently on a six-game unbeaten streak – their first such streak of the season. This is tied with FIU for the longest unbeaten streak in the conference though FIU sports a 3-0-3 record while the Aggies are 5-0-1. The Aggies' 5-0-1 record is the best start to conference play for a first-year CUSA member since Houston in 1998.
 
Back-2-Back
 
Following her brace in an Oct. 8 win over Jax State, senior forward Loma McNeese was named the CUSA Offensive Player of the Week for a second consecutive week. "It's a great feeling being recognized as a threat offensively", said McNeese. "But without the rest of my team executing, I don't get those same opportunities. So credit to my teammates!"
 
McNeese became the first Aggie to earn back-to-back conference Player of the Week honors since goalkeeper Dmitri Fong in 2017, and the first-ever for Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Queen B
 
Following a five-goal, nine-assist season in her sophomore campaign, junior Bianca Chacon has provided NM State with instant offense in the attacking half of the field. Recording three assists through her first eight games of the season, junior Bianca Chacon entered a tie with Hannah Leitner for the most in program history with 12. In the 85^th minute of a Sept. 17 contest against LA Tech, Chacon fired a shot from just inside the box on the right side of the field, banging the top of the crossbar. Shila Rasoul followed the ball, easily heading it in off the rebound to give the Aggies a 4-2 edge.
 
Adding another assist on a free kick in the 26^th of an Oct. 2 matchup against RV Liberty, Chacon lined up for a free kick in the 26^th minute, Chacon increased her season total to four goals and seven assists – leading the Crimson & White in both categories.
 
With 16 career assists, Bianca Chacon now stands alone in the NM State record books.
 
Let's Get Physical
 
Led by Head Coach Rob Baarts', the Aggies are not afraid of a little contact and physical contests. Through 15 games this season, NM State leads CUSA in fouls per game with 186, picking up 12.40 per contest. This is the preferred method of play for the Crimson & White, sporting a 7-3-2 (.667) record in games where they record more fouls and a 1-2 (.333) mark in contests where fouls are tied or worse.
 
Super SAC
 
Last season, the Aggies posted the first undefeated home record in program history, going 7-0-2 from the friendly confines of the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex. Since opening in 2012, NM State has recorded 41 victories from their home field. Numerous improvements have been made to the place Aggie soccer calls home, including a shaded home base for the game operations crew, flood lights, and an upgraded, customizable lighting system. New for this season, the area behind the team benches has been completely relandscaped, giving the Soccer Athletic Complex a facelift ahead of the five home contests streaming on ESPN+.
 
NM State now plays their final game from the NM State Soccer Complex – an Oct. 22 matchup against fellow CUSA newcomer Sam Houston.
 
Watch the Throne
 
While leading the Aggies to their first WAC title in program history is the crowning jewel of her time at NM State, Loma McNeese has provided outstanding offensive impact throughout her time in Las Cruces. Through fifteen games, the Sherwood, Ore. native has totaled six goals and four assists, vaulting herself up the Aggie record book.

• Recording the lone NM State goal in the 37^th minute against FIU, Loma McNeese is now tied with Audriana Chavez (2015-18), sporting 19 career goals. Now totaling 49 career points (19 goals, 11 assists) the senior forward is fourth in program history, just one point behind Layla Todd (20 G, 10 A) to enter a tie for third all-time.
• After sinking the first penalty kick attempt of her career against the Gamecocks, McNeese freed herself from a four-way tie for second place, now alone with six career game-winning goals. Leading the team with 31 shots through fifteen contests, she now sits sixth all-time in career shots, totaling 113 through four seasons with the Crimson & White.
• Narrowly outside the top ten in career assists entering the season, McNeese's four helpers on the year have propelled her upwards, now sitting in a tie with Devin Hart (2013-2017) and Crystal Burns (2009-2010) for third all-time with 11 assists. Hannah Leitner (2019-2021) is second on the career list with 12, and Bianca Chacon sits atop the throne with 16 assists.

Leading the Way
Every team depends on the leadership of its veterans, relying on their experience and preparation for the game-defining moments. This season, the Aggies have called upon their upperclassmen when needed most, and they have produced. Of the 68 points the Aggie offense has produced this season, 19 goals and 17 assists have come from student-athletes who are juniors and above. Senior Loma McNeese leads the team with six goals scored, while junior Bianca Chacon leads NM State in assists with seven.
Gia Valenti is tied for second in goals scored with three and added the first assists of her career against FIU, while McNeese is second on the team in assists with four. Brooke Schultz has recorded two goals and two assists during conference action, Ariana Leamons has posted a goal and two assists, Megan Ormson tallied an assist and a goal in wins over UTEP and RV Liberty, Tati Jerman punched in her first goal of the season against UTEP, and Xitlaly Hernandez recorded the game-winning goal against Cal State Fullerton.
 
Missed But Not Forgotten
 
Just a short time ago, the NM State soccer program lost an important member of its family. On July 11, junior defender Thalia Chaverria suddenly passed away at the age of 20. Thalia was entering her third season with the program.
 
Head Coach Rob Baarts said "T was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten. Her spirit will be with us every day, on and off the pitch."
 
True to Coach Baarts' word, Thalia will not be forgotten as the team will honor her with a patch worn on the shoulder of each Aggie this season. The patch will feature Thalia's number on the field (2) and her initials (TC) in white text surrounded by a black circle.
 
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