ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Sophomore forward Alex Adelabu (Houston, Texas) scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the game, but it wasn't enough to lift the Dartmouth men's soccer team in a 3-2 loss at No. 7 New Mexico on Friday night.
The squads entered the second half deadlocked at, 2-2, but the home team scored the game-winner at the 66:07 mark. Dartmouth goalkeeper, Noah Cohen (Johannesburg, South Africa) came out and made an initial save on a New Mexico shot, but a rebound sent the ball back into the box, which New Mexico's Ben McKendry buried into the far corner, to give the seventh-ranked Lobos the 3-2 win.
Sophomore midfielder Robin Alnas (Gothenberg, Sweden) had a chance in the final minutes to score the equalizer after the ball skipped his direction in the box, but his shot was deflected out of bounds.
New Mexico (4-1-0) had the first good chance of the second half. Meandering into the Dartmouth defensive third, the Lobos crossed the ball back out to the top of the box and hit a shot, but Cohen was there to make the stop.
Tommy Johnson (Klein, Texas) tired to give the Big Green the advantage at the 61:21 mark. After fielding a throw in from Colin Heffron (Upper Brookville, N.Y.) he teed the ball up for a shot but it skirted just wide of the net. Johnson's shot was the first of the second half for the Big Green as opposed to the Lobos who recorded eight second-half shots.
Kevin Dzierzawski (Oakland Township, Mich.) added two shots while Cohen made five saves in the contest.
The first half could be characterized as a scoring frenzy as the squads combined for four goals in the first 18 minutes of action.
Dartmouth (2-3-0) struck first just a minute into the contest. Adelabu was the recipient of a bad clearance from the Lobo defense and after heading the ball in the box, he put the ball on his foot and scored by placing a shot from the left wing into the near post.
The Lobos wouldn't be outdone on their home field and just 33 seconds later, tied the game on a Devon Sandoval goal. The Lobos utilized a cross into the box, which Sandoval slipped just behind Cohen to tie the game.
Adelabu, who picked up his team-best fourth goal of the season, was able to again put the Big Green ahead in the 10th minute after connecting on a pass from classmate Heffron.
The Lobos again played catch up and in the 18th minute tied the game at, 2-2, with a goal from Michael Calderon.
New Mexico had a chance to take a lead into halftime with shot with just two seconds remaining in the first half. After breaking into the Dartmouth box, Cohen stood up Blake Smith with a point-blank save to preserve the tie heading into halftime.
Dartmouth concludes action at the TL Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Lobo Invitational on Sunday (Sept. 16). They will take on Missouri State, who battled to a 2-2 double overtime tie against UC-Irvine in the first game on Friday.
AGATE
Dartmouth (2-3-0) vs. New Mexico (4-1-0)
Date: Sep 14, 2012 Attendance: 4017
Weather: 68 degrees partly cloudy slight breeze from south
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
Dartmouth........... 2 0 - 2
New Mexico.......... 2 1 - 3
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 1:25 DART Adelabu, Alex (3) (unassisted) - Miscleared 14 headed it in box then scored near post
2. 2:32 UNMMS Sandoval, Devon (4) (Kafari, Michael) - 10 crosses from right ball punched to 9 who scored from 15 yards out
3. 9:56 DART Adelabu, Alex (4) (Heffron, Colin) - 18 drives along left side of box cross at near post to 14 to far post
4. 17:52 UNMMS Calderon, Michael (1) (Rogers, James) - 7 drove to right edge of box gave to 11 who shot far post fr edge box
5.66:07 UNMMS McKendry, Ben (1) (Smith, Blake) - Rebound to 23 at edge of box pass to center to 19 from point blank
Shots: Dartmouth 8, New Mexico 20
Saves: Dartmouth 6 (Cohen, Noah 5; TEAM 1), New Mexico 2 (Rodriguez, Victor 2)
