No. 3 NM State Meets No. 2 Liberty in Semifinals

The Aggies and Flames meet in a 2023 CUSA Championship game rematch.

Source: NMSU Athletics
Story and Photo By Emilio Garcia for NMSU: Courtesy

Defeating the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 4-1 in the opening game of the 2024 CUSA Women’s Soccer Championship, NM State returns to action on Friday, Nov. 8 for a matchup with the Liberty Flames. The Aggies and Flames are set to face off in a rematch of last’s season title game, though this time in the semifinals. First kick is slated for 2 p.m. MT.

How to Follow
Who: Liberty Flames (14-1-4, 6-1-2 CUSA)
Where: Miami, Fla. | FIU Soccer Stadium
When: Friday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m. MT
Live Statistics: nmstatestats.com
Stream: ESPN+

Winning Ways
In 2023, the Aggies, put together a 6-0-2 record in league play en route to a regular-season CUSA championship. The 2023 Aggie squad produced the 10^th undefeated regular season in CUSA history – the first to do so in their inaugural year in the conference.

Closing the regular season at 10-5-3 overall, the Aggies notched their third straight season with 10 or more victories under Head Coach Rob Baarts. Prior to Baarts’ arrival in Las Cruces, NM State had just one 10-win season in 2011.

Following a win in the opening round of the 2024 CUSA Women’s Soccer Championship, the Aggies stand at 6-2-2 in Conference USA this season. NM State now stands at 13-3-4 all-time in CUSA contests (including postseason play), and 6-0-3 in home matchups.

Aggie Accolades
In 2024, the Aggies have won six Conference USA Weekly Awards. In total they have tallied 11 CUSA Weekly Awards since joining the conference on July 1, 2023. The Aggies won two Player of the Week awards on Sept. 17^th, when junior Jena Johannes and redshirt sophomore Valerie Guha were tabbed CUSA Defensive player of the week and Goalkeeper of the week, respectively.

On Wednesday, Conference USA announced the 2024 All-Conference Teams, with six Aggies earning spots on the rosters.

Loma McNeese was the lone Aggie to tally Second Team All-CUSA honors, while Ariana Ellison was the only member of the Crimson & White named to the All-Freshman Team.

A quartet of Aggies were named Third Team all-conference, including Andrea Alvarenga, Valerie Guha, Jena Johannes and Brooke Schultz.

Don’t Call It a Comeback
Trailing UTEP 2-1 with less than three minutes in the contest, junior Meredith Scott recorded her fifth goal of the season and led to a final score of 2-2.

This is the sixth game this season where the Aggies have tied or taken the lead in the final seven minutes of action, including a contest with Big Ten regular season champion USC.

USC, 2-2 (Two goals in final 13 minutes; Kennedy Herrera 77′, Meredith Scott 90′)
Texas A&M – Commerce, 2-1 (Brooke Schultz 89′)
Middle Tennessee, 1-0 (Meredith Scott 88′)
Liberty, 2-2 (Milana Eyrich 83′)
LA Tech, 2-1 (Milana Eyrich 88′)
UTEP, 2-2 (Meredith Scott 88′)

The ‘Queen of Las Cruces’
Taking advantage of a fifth and final season of collegiate soccer, graduate forward Loma McNeese has broken program record after program record while leading the Aggies to a third consecutive 10+ win season.

Scoring her eighth goal of the season in a 2-1 victory over LA Tech on Oct. 27, McNeese became NM State’s all-time leader in goals with 27. On Sept. 26 against Western Kentucky, McNeese broke Galicia’s record for career points at NM State, with 63.

On Wednesday, the Sherwood, Ore. native saw another pair of records fall, collecting her 17^th career assist in the 20^th minute on a goal by Meredith Scott – surpassing teammate Bianca Chacon for the most in Aggie history. Tallying a pair of goals in a 4-1 contest, McNeese recorded her eighth game-winning goal, breaking a tie for first with Yolanda McMillion (2009-2012).

Taking home the 2023 CUSA Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year awards, McNeese is putting together another outstanding season, tallying ten goals and a quartet of assists for 24 points throughout the season.

In her career, McNeese also ranks among the program’s best in multi-goal games (4, tied for first), shots (172, second), multi-assist games (2, tied for second) and PK goals (2, tied for second).

In single-season records, McNeese’s name is once again scattered across the history books, ranking among the best in points (24, first all-time), multi-goals games (3, first), goals (10, tied for third; also achieved in 2022) and shots (46, third).

VAL-ient Effort
Since taking over the starting goalkeeper role in 2023, redshirt sophomore Valerie Guha has been a force for the Aggies in the net. This season, Guha has posted three shutouts and holds nine clean sheets in her career. On the season, Guha ranks second in CUSA in saves with 71, tallying seven in the Aggies’ 4-1 win over Jax State on Wednesday.

In her career, Guha ranks second among Aggie goalkeepers in wins (19) and shutouts (9), while tied for second in GAA (1.34) and sixth in all-time saves (124).

Phreshman Phenoms
Throughout his tenure with the Aggies, NM State Head Coach Rob Baarts has utilized the recruiting trail well to set his program for success. 2024 has proven to be no different, as a trio of true freshman have turned into consistent contributors.

Midfielder Andrea Alvarenga earned herself Third Team All-CUSA honors while posting one goal, four assists and 10 shots (six on goal) in 602 minutes (501 since the start of Conference USA play; six starts). Defender Ariana Ellison has played in all 19 NM State contests, totaling 1,238 minutes – the seventh most on the team and best among freshmen. For her efforts, Ellison was the lone Aggie named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team.

Forward Milana Eyrich has suited up in all 19 NM State contests, earning her first collegiate start on Sept. 8 against UC Davis. Recording her first goal at NM State against Liberty on Oct. 6, the Sahuarita, Ariz., native now ranks third on the team in goals (3), fourth in shots on goal (7) and fifth in points (7).

History
All-time, the Aggies hold a 1-1-1 mark against the Flames. NM State and Liberty last met on Oct. 6, when Milana Eyrich tallied a late goal to end the contest in a 2-2 draw. In the 2023 CUSA tournament final, the Flames were able to come away with a 2-1 victory and advance to the NCAA tournament.

Scouting the Flames
The Flames are led by eighth-year head coach Lang Wedemeyer, who is in the midst of his 25^th season as a collegiate coach, amassing an impressive 249-168-59 across stints with the Flames and South Dakota State. In CUSA action, Liberty is 11-3-3 under Wedemeyer’s direction.

The Flames are 14-1-4 on the season, finishing with a 6-1-2 conference record and regular season Co-Champion status along with FIU. In non-conference action, Liberty tallied a 2-1 road victory over ACC opponent Virginia Tech.

Redshirt sophomore forward Halle Engle paces the 2024 edition of the Flames in goals with 12, while junior Ivy Garner has posted eight assists for the team lead. In the net, Peyton Huber and Grace Workman have split time, with each amassing 855 minutes of action – with Workman earning Third Team All-CUSA honors.

On the season, the Flames have allowed 12 goals (0.63 GAA), while recording 40 goals and 35 assists.

For complete coverage of NM State Soccer, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateWSOC), Instagram (@nmstatewsoc) and like us on Facebook (NM State Women’s Soccer).

Article posted by:

Levi Gwaltney

Levi Gwaltney is the Editor In Chief of Las Cruces Digest. The Editor makes editorial and posting decisions regarding content published on this site. In most cases, the Editor makes little if any contribution to content published, and takes no credit for the content of republished posts. If available, the source or author of posts is provided at the top of the article.