Albuquerque, N.M. – In a thrilling match at the UNM Soccer Complex, Adams State claimed a 5-2 victory over New Mexico Highlands on Wednesday securing their second conference win of the season and improving their record to 3-12-2 (1-10-1 conference), while New Mexico Highlands fell to 2-14-2 (0-11-1 conference).
The first half saw Adams State establishing control, with goalkeeper Ashlyn Bartley making critical saves to keep the scoreline level. New Mexico Highlands pressed hard in the early minutes, with multiple shots from Renee Johnson and Acacia Rodriguez testing Bartley, who would go on to make a remarkable seven saves in the first period. Adams State finally broke through in the 27th minute when Karlee Caballero coolly converted a penalty kick after a foul from New Mexico Highlands' Devyn Gunn, giving Adams State a 1-0 lead.
The second half was a showcase of Adams State's offensive depth. Just 15 minutes into the half, forward Athena Huggins found the back of the net off an assist from Brissa Toribio, doubling the lead to 2-0. Moments later, Denali Levin extended Adams State's lead to 3-0 with her first collegiate goal, assisted by Grace Abbott, as the team continued to apply relentless pressure.
Angelica Figueroa, added her name to the scoresheet in the 72nd minute, scoring with assistance from Carissa Benavidez for her first career goal.
In the 79th minute, Kate Rayner managed to cut the deficit to 4-1 for New Mexico Highlands. Just one minute later, Brissa Toribio added the fifth goal for her team, with Angelica Figueroa returning the favor by providing the assist, the first of her career.
New Mexico Highlands responded in the 87th minute when Izzie Scott converted a penalty kick, bringing the score to 5-2. Despite the late push by Highlands, Bartley held strong, tallying a total of 11 saves by the game's end.
"I'm sad that we couldn't have at least one more game with this group but we grew as people and as a team and I am extremely excited for next year," said Head Coach Alex Greco.
The win showcased Adams State's offensive firepower, with five players contributing to the scoring and four players earning assists. In the final game of the season, three out of the five senior's scored goals on the day.
