Mixed results for early-season NMSU soccer

NM State’s women’s soccer team showed in a span of four days both what it can be, and what head coach Rob Baarts believes it has the potential to become.

The Aggies picked up their first victory of the season Thursday, Aug. 20, surviving a wild finish for a 1-0 road win over Abilene Christian. Three days later, they returned home and struggled to generate the same momentum in a 2-0 loss to Long Beach State.

The split left NM State with something to build on, but also reinforced an early-season theme: finding a way to translate what happens on the practice field into consistent performances when the games begin.

“At the end of the day, we just have to start responding to what we’re training,” Baarts said following Sunday’s loss. “We work on things that look good in training, and then we get into games and it’s just not happening.”

There was plenty happening late Thursday night in Abilene. After being outshot 10-1 in the opening half, NM State began creating pressure after halftime. It finally paid off in the 65th minute when sophomore Esme Arenas converted a penalty kick for her first goal of the season.

From there, the Aggies turned the game over to their defense, and especially senior goalkeeper Karolanne Lafortune. Abilene Christian earned a penalty kick in the 81st minute, but Lafortune dove left to deny Mikayla Abrenica. Then, with only six seconds remaining, another Aggie foul in the box gave the Wildcats one final opportunity to tie the game. Lafortune stopped that one, too.

She finished with a career-high 11 saves as NM State secured its first road shutout since a 1-0 win over Western Kentucky in October 2023.

“I am incredibly proud of our team, especially the defense,” Lafortune said. “They work so hard to support me the best they can. I am still speechless about how I saved those PKs, but I was able to read them and dive with full confidence.”

Baarts was particularly pleased with the Aggies’ response after a sluggish opening half.

That ability to change a game after halftime carried into Sunday in pieces, but this time NMSU could not turn the improvement into goals. Playing before 807 fans in the program’s fourth annual Purple Out game honoring Thalia Chaverria, the Aggies again found themselves chasing the game after being outshot 9-1 in the first half. Long Beach State carried a 1-0 advantage into halftime and added another goal in the 74th minute.

Freshman Zoey Gist provided one of the bright spots, making her second start and putting all three of her team-leading shots on goal in 78 minutes. NM State also generated more pressure after halftime but couldn't find the finish it needed. The loss was the Aggies’ first in four Purple Out games.

For a team still sorting through roles and combinations early in the season, the two games offered contrasting lessons. Against Abilene Christian, NMSU overcame a poor start with grit, defense and a game-changing performance in goal. Against Long Beach State, another slow start proved too much to overcome.

Now the challenge gets considerably steeper. NM State begins a three-game road swing Thursday, Aug. 27, at Southern California, giving the Aggies another opportunity to find the consistency Baarts is looking for.

“We got to learn how to step up and be brave and make it happen and stop worrying about what could happen,” Baarts said. “We got to just go do the job. End of story.”