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Kris Shakes took in the question and grinned the type of grin that often comes with a shake of the head. Any other topic would have been preferable.
The New Mexico United goalkeeper wasn’t all that interested in talking about himself — be it performance, effort or skill. Even after helping the club post another shutout Saturday — the club’s seventh of the season — in a 1-0 home win over rival Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
“I’m not too focused on myself,” Shakes said after the match. “Obviously, it’s the whole team, right? The whole defense. Without them, it’s impossible for me to get a clean sheet by myself. Super grateful for the boys, the way they’ve been defending.”
That’s certainly fair. Whether Chris Gloster or Kipp Keller or Niko Hämäläinen or Maliek Howell, who scored Saturday’s goal in the 55th minute — his first of the season before leaving with an injury in the 66th — or Tyler Blackett or Cam Wilkerson or Jake LaCava when healthy.
After all, the backline is what makes a keeper’s job easier. By contesting opposing shots. By keeping the ball away from the box. By clearing it down the pitch. Aspects that might not always show up on the stat sheet other than the final tally, but have helped United (8-4-3) push its unbeaten streak across all competitions — regular season, USL Cup and an international friendly — to 10.
It’s a streak that also culminated in New Mexico’s rise to third in a congested Western Conference table. United’s 27 points are seven behind first-place Orange County SC and four below San Antonio FC.
And those final tallies have been something. New Mexico has allowed six total goals over those 10 matches, three of which came in that international friendly against Liga MX side Atlante FC. United has scored 18 times in comparison.
“We defend collectively,” manager Dennis Sanchez said. “Shakes is obviously a big part of that, but so is our entire team.”
Again, that’s fair. But Shakes has been an undeniable standout and driving force force the team. He’s a bundle of energy and movement who never seems to sit still — always jumping, diving, talking.
All seven of the club’s shutouts this season have come with Shakes in net, with six coming during that unbeaten streak, topping the five clean sheets he totaled all last season. And in those recent six? Shakes tallied 24 saves.
On Saturday, he recorded six. Colorado Springs (7-6-4) finished with 20 shots total.
“You know, Shakes is so reliable,” Gloster said. “He’s an amazing person and an amazing keeper, and we try to help him as much as he helps us. If I’m able to get blocks for him, tackles that can help ease the pressure off, I’m more than happy to do it for him. And when he makes saves like (he does), it helps us a lot, so it’s amazing.”
And that’s what Shakes wanted to stress after the match. Yes, he’s there to perform, but he’s just one piece of the whole. It’s a philosophy that has helped United continue to win.
It might also be one of the reasons Shakes was the last one off the field Saturday. Long after the stands emptied, the star of the match stuck around just a bit longer to thank the security team. He wanted to make sure everyone got their due.
“There’s no pressure,” Shakes said. “The main point that (Sanchez) gives us every time is to stay together. So, if we stay together, we truly believe that we can get a result in any single game.”
David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at [email protected] or via X @DavidGlovach.
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Continue reading...
The New Mexico United goalkeeper wasn’t all that interested in talking about himself — be it performance, effort or skill. Even after helping the club post another shutout Saturday — the club’s seventh of the season — in a 1-0 home win over rival Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
“I’m not too focused on myself,” Shakes said after the match. “Obviously, it’s the whole team, right? The whole defense. Without them, it’s impossible for me to get a clean sheet by myself. Super grateful for the boys, the way they’ve been defending.”
That’s certainly fair. Whether Chris Gloster or Kipp Keller or Niko Hämäläinen or Maliek Howell, who scored Saturday’s goal in the 55th minute — his first of the season before leaving with an injury in the 66th — or Tyler Blackett or Cam Wilkerson or Jake LaCava when healthy.
After all, the backline is what makes a keeper’s job easier. By contesting opposing shots. By keeping the ball away from the box. By clearing it down the pitch. Aspects that might not always show up on the stat sheet other than the final tally, but have helped United (8-4-3) push its unbeaten streak across all competitions — regular season, USL Cup and an international friendly — to 10.
It’s a streak that also culminated in New Mexico’s rise to third in a congested Western Conference table. United’s 27 points are seven behind first-place Orange County SC and four below San Antonio FC.
And those final tallies have been something. New Mexico has allowed six total goals over those 10 matches, three of which came in that international friendly against Liga MX side Atlante FC. United has scored 18 times in comparison.
“We defend collectively,” manager Dennis Sanchez said. “Shakes is obviously a big part of that, but so is our entire team.”
Again, that’s fair. But Shakes has been an undeniable standout and driving force force the team. He’s a bundle of energy and movement who never seems to sit still — always jumping, diving, talking.
All seven of the club’s shutouts this season have come with Shakes in net, with six coming during that unbeaten streak, topping the five clean sheets he totaled all last season. And in those recent six? Shakes tallied 24 saves.
On Saturday, he recorded six. Colorado Springs (7-6-4) finished with 20 shots total.
“You know, Shakes is so reliable,” Gloster said. “He’s an amazing person and an amazing keeper, and we try to help him as much as he helps us. If I’m able to get blocks for him, tackles that can help ease the pressure off, I’m more than happy to do it for him. And when he makes saves like (he does), it helps us a lot, so it’s amazing.”
And that’s what Shakes wanted to stress after the match. Yes, he’s there to perform, but he’s just one piece of the whole. It’s a philosophy that has helped United continue to win.
It might also be one of the reasons Shakes was the last one off the field Saturday. Long after the stands emptied, the star of the match stuck around just a bit longer to thank the security team. He wanted to make sure everyone got their due.
“There’s no pressure,” Shakes said. “The main point that (Sanchez) gives us every time is to stay together. So, if we stay together, we truly believe that we can get a result in any single game.”
David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at [email protected] or via X @DavidGlovach.
More New Mexico United reading
*
Match day: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at New Mexico United
NMU faces important matchup amid tight Western Conference
*
NM United doesn't mind a full week at home after its Alabama experience
Three-match road swing ended with multiple postponements and 17-day layoff between games
*
Chicharito sees different opportunity in joining Atlético Dallas
Mexico's all-time leading scorer is 1st signee for Championship expansion club
*
Giddy up: NM United plans to honor jockey Mike Smith
New Mexico native, Triple Crown winner will be at Aug. 26 match against Lexington SC
*
Weather again leads to postponement of NM United match
Makeup date to play Birmingham Legion FC still to be determined
*
NM United, Girl Scouts team up for 'girls in the game' event
An old patch helped serve as the catalyst for the partnership
*
NM United match in Alabama postponed
Squad will play Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday
*
Match day: New Mexico United at Birmingham Legion FC
NMU gets to play at unique site to close road swing
*
NM United routs Lexington, extends unbeaten streak to nine
Simplifying a short week paid off as NMU tied its season high in scoring with a dominant road win
*
NM United stadium at Balloon Fiesta Park clears another legal hurdle
Court of Appeals rules in soccer club's favor against neighborhood associations
*
Match day: New Mexico United at Lexington SC
NMU is on an 8-game unbeaten streak and doing better in road matches
*
For NM United, keeping unbeaten streak intact outweighs USL Cup exit
NMU out on tournament tiebreaker, but win over El Paso means 8 straight without a loss
*
Match day: New Mexico United at El Paso Locomotive FC
NMU still has chance to advance in USL Cup with some help
*
A nice ring: Noël made most of NM United's break by proposing
NMU midfielder popped the question to now-fiancée Kate Levitt on June 26
*
Starr, Mata latest to sign academy contracts with NM United
Albuquerque natives now eligible to play for NMU's first team
Continue reading...
