GAME PREVIEW: Runners on the Road to Take on Austin This Weekend

by Andres Trujillo

Rio Rancho, NM (December 27, 2019) – The New Mexico Runners (3-1) head to Austin, Texas this Saturday December 28th, 2019 to take on the Austin Power (1-5) in the second meet up between these teams this season.

The Runners come off a solid victory at home against the Falls Town Flyers winning 14-9 which elevated their record to 3-1 on the season. The only win for the Power was against the Colorado Rumble last weekend.

In the last meet up, New Mexico dominated Austin with a 12-5 victory at home at the beginning of the season. They showcased the team’s ability to score and keep the foot on the gas.

This match up will be an interesting look for both teams as Austin will have full home team strength and the Runners will see how they adjust to the longest road trip of the season.

Full Steam Ahead: New Mexico has the most players on the league leaderboard this season. Total number of points belongs to Forward Jaime “Chiva” Rodriguez with 15. Midfielder Luis Fernando Martinez has 12 and Forward Froilan Ramirez has 10. In the goal sector, Martinez has 10 on the season and 9 collected by Rodriguez.

Setting It Up: The Runners midfield squad has been solid this season to give the team crucial scoring opportunities. If New Mexico can create a flow in the midfield, the pace of play will be fast, furious and successful. This weekend’s game will showcase a solid midfield with the likes of Justin White, Luis Fernando Martinez, Seth Gordon and the newcomer to the squad Gabe Legendre.

What To Watch For: New Mexico has a momentum that has never been seen before and they look to continue to knock on the leader position in the league. They currently sit at 3rd in the league standings but will continue to climb with a win this weekend. If Goalkeeper Casey Gasson can play as well as he did last game, the Runners will control the pace of play to an advantage as Austin is only averaging 5 goals a game compared to New Mexico’s 10.3 goals per game.

The New Mexico Runners face the Austin Power on the road on Saturday December 28th with a 5 PM MT kick off in Austin, TX.

The New Mexico Runners are New Mexico’s professional arena soccer team based in Rio Rancho, NM and current members of Major Arena Soccer League 2 (MASL2). The Runners play their home games at Santa Ana Star Center and season 2 season tickets are on sale NOW by calling 505.663.7RUN (7786). For more information on the Runners, visit http://www.newmexicorunners.com as well as LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE on social media at @nmrunners.
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