Tech Miners Win Season Openers

by coach Paul Fuierer

SOCORRO, N.M., Sept, 11, 2002 -- Both the NMT men (Miners) and women (Minerettes) soccer teams began their seasons Sunday at Milne Field in Albuquerque. These games marked the start of competitive soccer action in the first divisions of the Albuquerque Men's Soccer League (ASL) and Albuquerque Women's Soccer League (AWSL). The Miners and Minerettes earned their 1st division places with successful seasons last year in division 2.

Sunday turned out to be a good day; both teams victorious after exciting second-half comebacks.

The men started at 1 p.m. against the "Cosmos" another ASL club team. The Miners apparently had a lot of "rust" to get rid of, because they found themselves down 0-3 in the first 30 minutes of play. Lack of movement and defensive breakdowns led to the first two goals. The third was a penalty kick following a tripping foul by a Miner in the penalty area. Down three goals at halftime, the game may have seemed like a lost cause to most. But not to the Miners who have a history of gaining strength through the course of a game. During the halftime huddle, a Miner asked, "What the hell are we going to do?" Captain Dan Young had the answer, "We're going to score four goals, plain and simple!" And Young began the answer about 5 minutes into the 2nd half, when he sliced a free kick around the defensive wall and beyond the goal-keeper into the far post corner. Shortly after, (midfielder) Nate Vandelinder launched a shot over the goalie and into the net, giving the Miners a real sense of hope. The Cosmos tried to kill time, but the Miners were fired-up. By the time the game was over, Young had recorded a hat-trick, and Vandelinder two, for a final score of 5-3.

At 3 p.m., the Minerettes kicked-off against the "Rattlers". Techie Sarah Loughnie put the ball past the keeper for the first goal. The Minerettes seemed to be winning the possession game, but found themselves down 2-1 at halftime. In the second half, (Socorro's own) Tiffany Tadano beat two defenders and then the goalie to tie the game. Finally, with 5 minutes to play, (freshman) Erica Herring put in the game winner.

This weekend, the Miners travel to Las Cruces, where they will take on New Mexico State University and the University of Arizona in a NIRSA Southwest Region Collegiate Club Soccer tournament. The Minerettes play their 2nd regular season game Sunday at Milne, start-time 9 a.m..