Match Four
NM State (1-2-0, 0-0-0 CUSA) vs. Cal State Fullerton (0-2-1, 0-0-0 Big West)
Sunday, Aug. 27 | 1:00 p.m. (MT) | NM State Soccer Athletic Complex | Las Cruces, N.M.
 
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Following Thursday's heated contest between the Aggies and Sun Devils, NM State is back in action on Sunday afternoon, playing host to Cal State Fullerton from the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex. The Titans are currently on a winless streak to begin their season, while the Aggies have dropped two straight following a season-opening win over Portland State.
 
The Aggies and Titans are scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. MT, the first afternoon game of the season for NM State. Fans can stream the action on ESPN+ or follow along with the action thanks to livestats. This is the second of five straight home matches that the Aggies will play – with games against Incarnate Word (8/31), Pacific (9/3), and UNLV (9/7) still upcoming.
 
NM State will kick off its CUSA schedule with a home match against Louisiana Tech on September 17, while also featuring home games against Middle Tennessee, FIU and Sam Houston.
 
Match Recap | NM State 1 Arizona State 4 | 8.24.23
 

• Hosting a 'Power Five' school for the first time in program history, nearly 1,000 fans squeezed into the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex.
• Freshman goalkeeper Karolanne Lafortune was thrust into a starting role when Valerie Guha was deemed a late scratch. 49 seconds into the match, Lafortune recorded her first career save, swatting away an Arizona State attempt.
• In the 31^st minute, forward Sydnee Johnson received a surprising straight-red card, forcing the Aggies to continue play down a woman.
• In the 39^th minute, a shot by Bianca Chacon found the bottom right of the net, scoring her first goal of the season. This would be the lone goal for either team, with NM State taking a 1-0 lead to the locker room.
• The Sun Devils were able to pull away in the second half, recording four second-half goals while the Aggies continued play with ten players.

 
Scouting the Titans
 
The Titans are 0-1-2 through three games this season, playing to a scoreless home match draw against Boston College, a 4-1 loss against #13 BYU and dropping a 2-1 decision on Thursday in a road game against the University of New Mexico.
 
Cal State Fullerton is led by Head Coach Demian Brown, now in his 16^th season leading the program. (The Titans did not play during the 2020-21 season) An alma mater, Brown sport a career 142-123-43 record at the helm, leading the team to five Big West Championships and six NCAA tournament appearances.
 
In preseason, Cal State Fullerton was picked fourth in the Big West Preseason Poll, receiving one first-place vote. The team also had two student-athletes named to the Preseason Coaches' Team, junior forward MaKenna McGill and sophomore defender Kaylin Raibon. Raibon returns after making 18 starts as an outside back on the Titan's defense that produced a 1.088 GAA. McGill arrived at Cal State Fullerton from Washington State a year ago where the forward saw action in 12 matches in a Titan's uniform. 
 
Common opponents between the Aggies and Titans include the Lady Rebels of UNLV (NM State will host UNLV on September 7), while Cal State Fullerton also faces former WAC foe Southern Utah.
 
History vs. Cal State Fullerton
 
The two squads met for the first time last season, an August 21 matchup from Fullerton, California. The Titans scored within the first fifteen minutes of the game, though Loma McNeese would provide the equalizer about a minute later. Trailing 2-1 late in the second half, Mya Hammack found the back of the net in the 82^nd minute to preserve a 2-2 tie.
 
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 38 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+. The Aggies' 2023 non-conference home slate includes Arizona State, CS Fullerton, Incarnate Word, Pacific and UNLV. Louisiana Tech will be the first CUSA match for NM State on September 17.
 
Watch the Throne
 
While leading the Aggies to their first WAC title in program history is the crowning jewel of their time at NM State, Loma McNeese and Xitlaly Hernandez have provided outstanding offensive impact throughout their time in Las Cruces. Heading into the season, the pair have already breached the top-ten lists in multiple offensive categories, with room to climb even higher.

• Loma McNeese currently sits in seventh place on the career goals list with 13, needing just two to tie Yolanda McMilion for sixth all-time. Also sitting seventh in points, she is three points away from a tie for sixth place.
• One game-winning goal this season moves McNeese into a four-way tie for second place, and she sits tenth in career shots with room to race the record books.
• Xitlaly Hernandez sports nine career goals, needing one this season to enter a tie with Crystal Burns for eighth-most all-time. Totaling 100 career shots, Hernandez needs just one shot to enter a three-way tie for sixth, as well as one assist before moving into a three-way tie for second place on the career assists list.

New Places, New and Old Faces
 
As the Aggies head into a new conference for the first time in the program's history, lots of change is expected. Makenna Gottschalk, the Aggies' all-time leader in saves, graduated and now plays professionally in Austria for FC Pinzgau. 2023 All-WAC Second Team defender Landy Williams has also moved onto her post-NM State career, joining Gottschalk in suiting up to play for FC Pinzgau.  
 
One area that should provide plenty of familiarity for the Aggies is the offensive end. Following a season with 32 goals scored, NM State returns 94% of its offensive production – including 86% of the team's assists from a season ago.
 
The Aggies also welcome a slew of newcomers – nine in total – who look to make their mark while wearing the Crimson & White. Ariana Leamons joins NM State after competing at the JUCO level for two seasons with Phoenix College, totaling 42 goals and 35 assists in just 39 games. A 2022 NJCAA Division II All-American, she helped her school to an 18-2-1 record and their second NJCAA Division II Championship. Emma O'Neill comes to Las Cruces via the Sun City and El Paso High School, where she earned the 2022 District 1-5A defensive MVP along with a Second Team All-City nod. In 2023 she helped her school to a 21-5 record and their second straight 5A Regional appearance after recording 14 goals (second on the team) and seven assists.
 
Louisiana transfer Carolina Rodriguez adds experience to the NM State backline, appearing in 33 games (seven starts) over two seasons with the Ragin' Cajuns. Before making her way to the U.S., Rodriguez was a member Zaragoza CFF of the Segunda Federación – a second-tier women's soccer league in Spain – where she helped her team to league championships in 2017-18 and 2019-20.
 
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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