UTEP Soccer Earns A Point With 1-1 Draw Against Preseason Favorite Liberty

EL PASO, Texas – Ana Quintero (15’) scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season while Savanah Finley delivered a career-high 10 stops to help the UTEP soccer team pick up a point following a 1-1 tie against preseason Conference USA favorite Liberty in front of a full house at University Field Thursday evening.

The Miners (3-6-2, 0-1-1 CUSA) jumped ahead early in the match courtesy of Quintero. Olivia Roskos had a throw-in that was headed toward the box by Dannique Wilson. Quintero settled it and bested Peyton Huber with a strong shot. Roskos and Wilson both picked up their second assist of the campaign on the goal.

Finley’s play and frenetic, passionate defending nearly made it stand up, but Liberty found the equalizer with only 80 ticks left on the clock. Preseason CUSA Offensive Player of the Year Ivy Garner (89’) managed to just get enough of a flick with her head on a rocket service by Haley Noblit that it changed direction to best Finley. The effort allowed the Lady Flames (5-3-4, 0-0-2 CUSA) to escape El Paso with the draw.

Liberty GK Peyton Huber had just one save compared to her counterpart’s 10. The 10 stops are the most by a Miner keeper in four years. Freshman Luisa Palmen also had 10 saves in a 1-0 triumph against UTSA (9/24/21).

The overall team effort improves the Orange and Blue to 2-2-1 at home on the season.

“You can clearly see we were excited to be home,” UTEP head coach Gibbs Keeton said. “It was a tough road stretch, and we responded to our Conference USA opener in a matter that any coach should be proud of. It’s important that we score, and that we score first. It shows what we can do when we do that, what we’re capable of as a team. (We’re able to) go head-to-head with the top team in the conference, and a team that’s gone toe-to-toe with top teams in the country. For us it was a result that we’re going to be disappointed in, and I don’t think that we could say that in year one or year two. We want more from the game.”

UTEP used a give-and-go with Ashlee Mora and Quintero to get set up deep early on, but the pass from Quintero was picked up by Huber. UTEP kept the pressure up, with two shots in the span of 30 seconds. Both were from Quintero (2’), with the first being blocked while the second was wide of the frame.

Liberty had its first true foray into the offensive zone in the 11th minute where Garner’s try was blocked. The Miners went back on the prowl, and this time it paid off. Roskos had a throw-in that went to Wilson, who headed it into the area. Quintero corralled it in front of and it buried it past a helpless Huber to put UTEP up, 1-0, in the 15th minute. 

The Lady Flames pushed for an equalizer in the immediate moments following the tally, but the Orange and Blue’s defense shut them down. Finley easily turned away the chance by Garner (15’). UTEP then fought off a corner kick and blocked a shot by Avenley Monteith (17’).

Both teams possessed primarily in the central portion of the pitch over the next several minutes before the Orange and Blue’s back line got in front of a rocket from Halle Engle (26’). Liberty secured another corner a minute later, but the Miners won the aerial duel.

After some physical play near midfield, the visitors emerged with the ball to initiate the attack. UTEP marked the forwards well, however, as Isabella Wedemeyer (35’) fell and sent the ball well wide of Finley.

The home side had a solid chance late in the frame on a set piece, but the ball from Mora into the area couldn’t be directed in on net.

Liberty was extremely aggressive in the opening minute of the second stanza, setting up Gabby Miranda inside the 18-yard box. Finley was well positioned and robbed her on the low, hard shot with a quick stretch of her leg. The rebound ricocheted to Monteith, whose try was blocked by the defense.

The Miners set up Anai Lopez (49’) nicely on the left wing. She struck it well, but it was directly at Huber. The placement allowed her to save it cleanly.

Finley delivered a leaping save to send a shot from Miranda (59’) that was racing toward the top, right part of the net out of play. UTEP then headed away the subsequent corner. Garner (62’) tested Finley with a shot to the near post. She read it well and smothered it with perfect form.

UTEP had a promising opportunity in the 64th minute, but the final pass of the sequence couldn’t connect as the threat died out. Lopez (68’) was in search of an insurance goal after she found some space to operate from. She got behind it well, but the shot rocketed high of the frame.

The visitors then went back on the attack, but Finley kept them off the board she corralled an easy chance from Kayla Magee (72’). The Lady Flames kept the ball in the area, taking it at Finley on an angle. Lauren Flax (72’) rifled it, but Finley reacted well for the stop.

After UTEP cleared it momentarily, but the visitors were quickly back on attack. The Miners’ defense blocked a dangerous try from Haley Noblit (74’). The loose change went to Brooklyn Jenkins, who misfired high over the arc.

Four minutes later, an incredible slide tackle from Kaila Hudson defused an opportunity. She took the ball away while deflecting it off the forward to win a goal kick for UTEP.

Finley was called upon again, producing a brilliant save on a try from Flax (83’). She timed her jump perfectly to punch it high over the net. UTEP then took care of business on the ensuing corner kick. Finley turned away Garner (86’) once again, but the Lady Flames kept coming.

Liberty finally broke through with 80 seconds remaining in the half, as Garner headed home a pass from Noblit that might have been intended as a shot.

Both teams recorded a shot in the final minute of play, each of which was off the mark.

UTEP will look to cap an undefeated weekend in the Sun City when it plays host to CUSA newcomer at 12 p.m. MT Sunday. It will be their “Alumni Game” on Sunday, where the Miners will recognize the historic 2005 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. UTEP trailed, 2-0, at powerhouse Texas with 10 minutes left in regulation before scoring twice to force OT and again in the extra period for the golden goal.

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