Match Nine
NM State (3-4-1, 0-0-0 CUSA) vs. USC (3-2-0, 0-0-0 PAC-12)
Thursday, Sep. 14 | 4:00 p.m. (MT) | McAlister Field | Los Angeles, Calif.
 
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Following last Sunday's meeting with rival New Mexico, the Aggies will play in the Pacific time zone for the second and final time this season on Thursday, September 14, as NM State (3-4-1) heads west for a first-time matchup with #20 Southern California (3-2-0). This will be the first meeting between the Aggies and Trojans in program history, and the second team from Pac-12 NM State will face this season. On August 24, the Aggies hosted Arizona State in the first home game against a 'Power 5' school.
 
Kick-off for Thursday afternoon's contest against the Trojans is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. MT, with fans able to stream the game on the Pac-12 Network or follow along thanks to livestats. The Aggies are 1-2-1 on Thursday's this season, all but the season opener against Portland State coming in Las Cruces.
 
Match Recap | NM State 1 UNM 3 | 9.10.23
 

• Earning a corner kick just a minute into the contest, the Aggies prepared to attack deep in Lobo territory. After New Mexico deflected the ball in the air, Bianca Chacon was able to collect the ball around the top of the penalty box and put it in the back of the goal at the 2' mark, banking it off the right post.
• Just over two minutes later the Lobos returned the favor, firing a trio of shots at NM State keeper Karolanne Lafortune, who was able to turn back the first two before a shot by Mercedes Morris found the back of the net to pull New Mexico into a 1-1 tie.
• Sophomore Presley Devey came into the match in the 32nd minute, firing a shot just minutes later, testing out the NM State defense with her own feet. New Mexico would go back on top in the 36th minute, when Devey lined up and fired a rocket with her right foot just beyond the center circle. Lafortune leaped to try and get at the shot but she was unable to convert, giving the Lobos a 2-1 advantage.
• After recording a yellow card in the first half, Lobo Kennedy Brown recorded her second in the 62', turning into a red card and putting New Mexico down a player for the remainder of the match. Despite maintaining a player's advantage for the majority of the second half, the Aggies were able to convert just two shots in the second half, with one on goal.

 
Scouting the Trojans
 
The Trojans are led by Head Coach Jane Alukonis, currently in her second season with the program. Alukonis sports a 15-5-3 record during her in Los Angeles, including an NCAA Tournament appearance last season. This season the Lobos are 3-2-0, recently falling to WAC program Utah Valley 3-2. The Trojans also hold wins over #4 Duke, Michigan, and Purdue.
 
USC was projected to finish third in the Pac-12 Preseason Poll receiving 94 total points, behind 2022 National Champion UCLA and Stanford. USC tallied a pair of players on the Pac-12 Preseason All-Conference Team: MF Simi Awujo and F Simone Jackson. Last season, the Trojans finished the year with a 12-3-3 record, losing in a first-round NCAA Tournament upset against UC Irvine.
 
Kayla Colbert leads the Trojans in points (7), shots (7), shots on goal (5), assists (3) and tied for the lead in goals (2) with freshman Maribel Flores. Colbert's 0.60 assists per game ranks 33^rd nationally, tied with America Frias of UCLA for the conference lead.
 
As a team, USC ranks 26^th in the country in shot accuracy (0.571) and 41^st in assists per game (2.40), pacing the Pac-12 in both. second in the Mountain West in goals against average (0.80), tied for tenth in points (12), 11^th in goals per game (0.80) and last in the MWC in corner kicks (2.60 per game). The Trojans also rank 307^th in saves per game (2.20) among Division I programs, and 327^th in save percentage (0.579).
 
Common opponents between the Aggies and Trojans include Arizona State, who hosts USC in Tempe on October 19^th. Last Thursday, Utah Valley paid a visit to McAlister Field and came away with a 3-2 upset. Last season, UVU and NM State met in the WAC Championship game with the Aggies clinching the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, while Utah Valley was selected as an at-large.
 
History vs. USC
 
This marks the first meeting between the Aggies and the Trojans. In five games against other Pac-12 programs (Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon, NM State sports an 0-5 record.
 
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 40 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+. Louisiana Tech kicks off the Aggies' tenure in CUSA with a home matchup slated for September 17. The Crimson & White will also welcome Middle Tennessee, FIU and Sam Houston during conference action.
 
Watch the Throne(s)
 
While leading the Aggies to their first WAC title in program history is the crowning jewel of their time at NM State, Loma McNeese, Xitlaly Hernandez and Bianca Chacon have provided outstanding offensive impact throughout their time in Las Cruces. Through seven games, the trio have combined for five goals and four assists, catapulting themselves higher in the NM State record books.

• Loma McNeese currently sits in seventh place on the career goals list with 14, tying Yolanda McMilion for sixth all-time with her next goal. Recording three points in the season opener, the senior forward is tied with McMilion in career points with 36 (14 goals, eight assists).
• After securing the game-winning goal in the season opener against Portland State, McNeese moved into a four-way tie for second place, sporting five career game-winning goals. Tied for the team lead with 14 shots through the first eight contests, she now sits ninth all-time in career shots, totaling 96 through four seasons with the Crimson & White, with plenty of room to race the record books.
• After scoring the game-winning goal against Cal State Fullerton, Xitlaly Hernandez sports ten career goals, tying Crystal Burns for eighth-most all-time. Her 106 career shots now give Hernandez sole possession of sixth place. With one assist this season, the graduate student will move into a three-way tie for second place on the career assists list.
• Generating a trio of Aggie goals through six games played including one in each of the past two games, Bianca Chacon now boasts 12 career assists, nine of them coming during NM State's historic 2022 campaign – tying the single-season school record.
• Recording a quartet of goals already this season – including one in each of the last three contests – Chacon now sports 11 career goals, putting her in a tie with Shea O'Connor and Corey Kizer for eight all-time in NM State history.

 
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 25 points the Aggie offense has produced this season, eight goals and four assists have come from student-athletes who are juniors and above. Junior Bianca Chacon leads NM State in both goals and assists, tallying four goals while adding in three assists. Gia Valenti is second in goals after recording her second of the season against UNLV, Loma McNeese has posted a goal and an assist each, and Xitlaly Hernandez recorded the game-winning goal against Cal State Fullerton.

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.
 
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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