Nate was late. New Mexico Runners goalkeeper Nate Yeager, right, a member of the Rio Rancho High School Class of 2016, was late diving to stop this first-quarter Amarillo goal Saturday afternoon at the Rio Rancho Events Center. (Herron photo)

 

Mehrshad Ahmadi scored four times in a span of less than 2:30 Saturday afternoon, initially tying the game at 8 and then giving the host New Mexico Runners the lead in the fourth quarter in the team’s home opener, an 11-8 victory, at the Rio Rancho Events Center.

The Runners (2-0) got an outstanding outing by goalkeeper Nate Yeager, a former Rio Rancho High School ‘keeper, who allowed two goals to the Amarillo Bombers (2-1) in each quarter.

But after the Bombers took the lead for the last time, 8-7, on a power-play goal when Jaxon Rogers got a blue card, Ahmadi took control — much like he had in the team’s opener at Dodge City last month, when he scored five of the Runners’ seven goals in their 7-1 win over the Kansas Bandits. This time, he tied the game at 8 with 7:53 left in regulation; netted the go-ahead goal 32 seconds later; made it 10-8 on a nifty cross from Rogers with 5:48 left; and tacked on another insurance goal with 5:41 to go.

Yeager did the rest, keeping the ball out of the net.

The Runners’ next game is also in the Events Center: They entertain the Colorado Inferno on Jan. 21 at 5:05 p.m.

 

Read more about the game in the Jan. 12 edition of the Observer.