PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico Women's Soccer scored the winning goal with just 90 seconds remaining in the game, as ENMU knocked off New Mexico Highlands 2-1 in its home opener on Wednesday evening at Greyhound Stadium. ENMU improved to 1-0-2 on the season, with NMHU taking a loss in their first game of the season.
 
The first significant action came in the first half as Gentri Granere was issued a straight red card in the 27^th minute for New Mexico Highlands, reducing the Cowgirls to just 10 players for the remainder of the contest. Both teams went into halftime tied at 0-0.
 
Neither team started the scoring until the final five minutes, as Nina Ballesteros poked in a Raegan Dash cross to open the scoring in the 85^th minute. Just 11 seconds later, New Mexico Highlands scored after an attempted clearance bounced off a Cowgirls forward to tie the match. However, Emma Hafenbrak netted the winner with just 1:30 remaining on the clock to push ENMU over the Cowgirls.

NOTABLE STATS

• Ballesteros contributed a goal and an assist during the 90 minutes, while Hafenbrak picked up the game winning goal. Dash posted an assist on the Ballesteros strike. Ballesteros led the effort with five shots, while Haley Huff posted three shots on goal. Samantha Jeffries made three saves during the evening in net.
• Katy Rayner notched the goal for the Cowgirls with 44 minutes from the bench. Izzie Scott found three shots with two on target. Parker Frei and Peyton Greener each played 45 minutes in net, with Frei conceding the two goals with two saves.
• ENMU dominated the shots category, with 17 shots compared to the eight from NMHU. All three goals were scored in the span of three minutes and 20 seconds.

FROM THE SOURCE

"Always good to be part of an in-state rivalry game. Today's game had everything a rivalry encompasses!" said Head Women's Soccer Eric Belcher. "Absolute wild finish, glad to see us come out on the right side of it with a few seniors stepping up to grab their first goals of the season in such a big moment".

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Greyhounds bested New Mexico Highlands for the second straight season, after a 2-0 road win in 2022 (9/4/22).
• Ballesteros recorded their first career goal and assist for ENMU, along with Dash finding their first assist in a Greyhound uniform. Hafenbrak's game-winner is the first of the season, and their second career game winning goal.
• Four Greyhounds played the entire 90 minutes: Dash, Jeffries, Sarah Tate, and Sofia Trejo
• Abby Ditzler, Julia Schjut, and Aislenn Whitzel all played their first game of the season, while Schjut and Whitzel played their first match for ENMU.
• Eastern will now pack their bags and head to Kearney, Nebraska for a pair of neutral site matches with Drury (9/8/23) and Quincy (9/10/23). Both kickoffs are slated for 10 a.m. for their respective days.