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New Mexico goalie Mike Graczyk retrieves a ball from behind the net during practice. The Lobos have dropped from No. 10 to No. 28 after starting the season 2-2. This weekend, they'll face two highly ranked opponents, including the defending national champions, UC Santa Barbara. "If there's one guy on our team who isn't looking forward to this, he shouldn't be on our team," UNM defender Zach Tierney said.

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These soccer foes are fierce, formidable and capable of winning the 2007 NCAA title.

They may be what the Lobos need to focus, but we'll come back to that.

"I think there's probably 15 teams in the country that could win the national championship," coach Jeremy Fishbein said. "These would be two of those."

The University of New Mexico men's soccer coach was referring to his team's next two opponents - No. 24 Washington and No. 9 UC Santa Barbara.

He counts his own squad among that exclusive field of 15, meaning three bona fide contenders hit the pitch starting Friday in the 2007 Nike/Crescent Financial Solutions Invite at the UNM Soccer Complex. No. 3 SMU is also among the field, another title-hopeful team that came to Albuquerque last season ranked No. 1. The Mustangs battled the Lobos to a 1-1 tie.

All that talent puts New Mexico in the strange position of being the lowest-ranked squad at its own invite, two years after playing in the national championship game. UNM is ranked No. 28 and has started its season an underwhelming 2-2.

Losses to Akron and Loyola Marymount haven't diluted the team's hopes to reign over the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and be major players nationally. They did, after all, start the season No. 10.

"We put a lot of pressure on ourselves," Fishbein said. "We came in with high expectations and high preseason rankings and didn't get the results we hoped for."

Fishbein knows what needs fixing on the Lobos, and it isn't complicated. It's clich‚.

"We have to relax and let the game come to us," he said. "Our big challenge is to take each game at a time."

Thanks, Nuke LaLoosh.

But he means it.

"Four games into the season, I was having a tough time just blowing everything off and focusing on every pass, every touch, and trying to put us in position to score goals," said sophomore defender Zach Tierney. "It's tough right now. Fish keeps telling us to just go out there and relax. Each guy on the field needs to focus."

That's Fishbein's advice. It's what he needs to see from his players. Focus.

"One little letdown can cost a goal, and lack of concentration can prevent you from scoring," he said. "We have to be disciplined."

The Lobos battled throughout last week's 1-0 loss to Loyola Marymount, outshooting the Lions 21-10, with 10 corner kicks. They couldn't punch one through.

"Scoring is a mental deal," Tierney said. "It's going to come. Everybody on the team is trying to pump guys up to put the ball in the back of the net."

Santa Barbara won last year's national title and features Andy Iro, a 6-foot-5, three-time All-American defender from England.

"He's one of those players you're excited to play against," Tierney said.

Not that the Lobos are getting ahead of themselves. This weekend's test could be what UNM needs to build some much-needed momentum.

"If there's one guy on our team who isn't looking forward to this, he shouldn't be on our team," Tierney said. "We're pumped up and we're not going to overlook Washington just to get to Santa Barbara. If we can win both these games, we'll jump start our season. That's what we're looking for."

These two nonconference matchups should bring the Lobos' prospects sharply into focus.