NM State, Liberty play to 2-2 draw

LYNCHBURG, Va. – NM State returned to action in Lynchburg for a matchup with the Liberty Flames on Sunday, Oct. 5. Mya Gonzales scored the Aggies’ first goal of the weekend, and freshman Milana Eyrich scored her first goal of the season to send the contest into a 2-2 draw as the Crimson & White close out their 5,000-mile road trip.

In a reversal of Thursday’s contest, the Aggies got on the board first, converting off a Brooke Schultz corner kick that rattled around inside the box, eventually finding the feet of junior Mya Gonzales for her first goal of the season, and the second of her career.

The Flames would respond with a goal of their own in the 28 ^th minute, as Ivy Garner scurried down the right side of the attacking zone, pushing a ball past Aggie keeper Valerie Guha and into the top right corner of the net.

NM State challenged late in half one, earning a corner kick from the left side of the field, though it would turn into a Liberty goal kick, ending the first half with a score of 1-1.

At the break, the Aggies led the Flames in shots (7-6), shots on goal (4-2) and fouls (6-3), while Liberty held the advantage in saves (3-2).

The Flames were able to take a 2-1 lead early in the second half as Ivy Garner found Halle Engle with an open lane toward the goal for her first score of the contest and ninth of the season. Back-to-back corner kicks minutes later allow the Aggies a chance to equalize, though no shots challenged Liberty goalkeeper Grace Workman.

Loma McNeese tallied her first shot of the contest from atop the goal box, firing a left-footed strike that just floated right of the goal. Coming out of the break, a point of emphasis for the Aggies was finding the feet of McNeese – a move that would prove fruitful late in the second half.

Chasing a goal with less than eight minutes to go, Lauren Machuca fired a through ball into the middle of the attacking third where McNeese would calmly allow the ball to pass between her legs and find a streaking Milana Eyrich. The freshman forward fired a left-footed shot across her body, bouncing off the hand of the Flames’ keeper and squeezing into the back of the net.

This became Eyrich’s first goal of the season, and first points of the season since recording an assist on a goal in the season opener against then-ranked USC.

Valerie Guha finished with five saves on the day, her seventh time this season reaching that total. Xitlaly Hernandez made her first start of the 2024 season, totaling 71 minutes as an anchor on the Crimson & White backline. With the result, this became the Aggies’ first tie of the season in Conference USA action, and their first road draw since joining the conference in 2023.

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