Valeria Agudelo scores as UTEP secures first Mountain West win at home

EL PASO, Texas -- Valeria Agudelo (30’) scored her second goal of the year while the UTEP soccer team defended fiercely on the way to knocking off San Jose State, 1-0, to pick up its first Mountain West victory at University Field Sunday afternoon. 

Savanah Finley registered two high-level saves to record her fifth shutout of the season, and Ashlyn Neireiter was credited with an assist on Agudelo’s score to help the Miners (7-1-3, 1-1 MW) remain unbeaten at home (4-0) in 2026. SJSU’s Paige Fry made five stops in the losing effort. 

The Orange and Blue outshot the Spartans (1-6-2, 0-2 MW), 13-8, including 6-2 for shots on goal. Both tries on target for the visitors came in the opening frame, with UTEP really dictating tempo and controlling possession over the final 45 minutes of play. It was a physical affair with 17 combined fouls and a trio of bookings. 

The Orange and Blue’s seven total wins on the season are the most since 2019 (10-7-3). Five of those have been decided by a goal, also the highest total since 2019 (five), demonstrating the Miners’ moxie. 

“We’ve been waiting since Sept. 3 to play at University Field, and it was incredible to do so today. To have our first Mountain West victory be at home is pretty cool too. We wanted one on the road, absolutely 100 percent, but to come back home and have a response, it’s what we’re looking for,” UTEP head coach Gibbs Keeton said. “It’s the first time we had to do it this year, and I’m proud of the girls being able to do it. It’s not easy to have a split weekend and come back and play in the heat, but we did what we needed to do to get the three points today.”

The Miners set the tone for the tilt early, but a promising chance was erased on an offside infraction (2’). They quickly regained possession and set up Zeta McDannels in the box, and she ripped a shot (4’) that blistered wide. SJSU’s first chance came off a set piece. Charlotte Memoly blasted a try (11’) that skipped in on net, but Finley tracked it perfectly to push it wide. UTEP then took care of business on the service during the ensuing corner kick. 

SJSU had an opportunity after an attacker managed to stay onside for a long through ball. Paige Pineda-Aliamus watched it drop into the box and one-timed it, but Finley fought off the shot at her face to save it with perfect technique. UTEP didn’t allow anything to come on the ensuing corner kick. That proved to be the last shot on goal (21’) of the game for the visitors. 

The Orange and Blue then picked up their play. Agudelo rifled an attempt (28’) that deflected off the post and back into play. Bethlehem Daniel soon corralled it. She drilled the shot (29’) that Fry was able to catch cleanly. The Miners kept coming, breaking through 79 seconds later.

Neireiter boomed a service into space down that right wing that pulled Fry out of the net. Agudelo was also in pursuit of the ball. She won the race, deked around the keeper and deftly touched her shot (30’) into the back of the net. 

UTEP continued to dictate things the remainder of the stanza, generating another shot (34’) and a corner kick (40’) before settling for the 1-0 edge heading into halftime.

The Orange and Blue were assertive in the opening parts of the second half, securing two corner kicks and having a potential insurance tally from Alana Lawless-Felarca be blocked away. 

At the other end of the pitch, the Miners refused to let the visitors get set up. SJSU did manage to garner a corner kick after the shot (54’) by Indigo Sims was blocked by the defense. It led to a corner kick, but close marking forced Joliye Brass’ attempt (55’) wide of the frame. 

Macey Williams, off a free kick, sent a low, hard ball (62’) from distance, but Fry followed it and caught it without issue. Neireiter had her own opportunity when she redirected an attempt (68’) on frame with a header, but Fry was there. 

Dannique Wilson was poised to double the Orange and Blue’s lead, but somehow Fry kept the bouncing shot (79’) with an acrobatic stop. It led to a corner kick, which the Spartans tried to clear. They failed, though, and Anai Lopez sent a shot (81’) back in that Fry once again stopped.

The close calls didn’t matter, as the Miners closed out the contest in style by dominating possession.