LAS CRUCES, N.M. — NM State (1-9-1) snapped its losing skid by rallying from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against Sam Houston in its Conference USA opener Thursday night at the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex. The Aggies capitalized on two second half strikes to notch their first non-losing result since the season's opening weekend.

Freshman Esme Arenas got NM State on the board in the 62nd minute with her first career goal in the Crimson and White, sparking momentum for the home side. Just 10 minutes later, Amaya Simoni-Walters delivered her own breakthrough, finishing inside the box to tie the match 2-2.

The Maryland native spoke to Aggie media after the match and said, "In the locker room and at halftime, we were stressing that this game was for T [Thalia Chaverria], and coming off of a tough preseason schedule, this game was everything to us."

Both goals were assisted by senior forward Bianca Chacon, who picked up her third and fourth helpers of the season to move past former Aggie Loma McNeese on the program's all-time assist list. She sits on top of the program's all-time assist leaderboard with 20 total passes for NM State in her career.

The Aggies continued to press late, generating eight total shots and five on frame while keeper Valerie Guha secured three saves to help preserve the result. NM State showed resilience in front of its home crowd and will look to build on the comeback performance as it heads deeper into conference play.

The draw also highlighted NM State's growing depth, with contributions from both veterans and newcomers shaping the comeback effort. Head Coach Rob Baarts praised the team's composure under pressure, noting that breaking through with multiple goal scorers and a record-setting night for Chacon provides a strong foundation as the Aggies continue their CUSA campaign. "I thought we showed a lot of grit to comeback from a 2-0 deficit. Every game in conference is going to be a battle. And in the end, an older player and a freshman stepped up and got goals for us…", stated Coach Baarts at the end of the match.
 
NM State will remain at home this week as they look to face Delaware for the first time in program history on Thursday, September 25, at 7 p.m. MT.
 
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