On Friday at 5:00 p.m. there was a soccer match scheduled to
take place in Orem at UVU’s Clyde Field, where the Wolverines remain undefeated
on the year, but an on-field mugging came to pass and it took a while for the
fútbol to actually show up.
GCU came out with a let’s-foul-at-every-opportunity
attitude – they were whistled for 24 fouls, but that number could have been
easily doubled. The most egregious no-call came with 34 seconds left in the
game, when Karson Payton came clear with the ball 14 yards in front of the goal
mouth and a Grand Canyon defender came from behind with a slide tackle that
took Payton’s legs out from under him. A PK should have been given, and a Red
Card could have been shown. But, the game was over – if the whistle had been
blown the actual penalty kick would have been launched long after the clock
registered double zeros, and, there was no mystery at that point in the game's outcome. So no call; the GC Keeper scooped up the loose ball and kicked it to
mid-field, where it was won by the Wolverines.
UVU carried it one last time forward into the attacking third, were called off-sides, and, what else, one last foul on
Grand Canyon which allowed the game to end on a last Wolverine shot from Nic
Harguindeguy.
The uneven nature of this contest is born out in the stats. UVU
out shot GCU 17 – 6. Of the three shots GCU put on frame, nothing Collin Partee
had to snag looked like it might actually go in. The closest they came to
scoring came in the second half, on a shot from 24 yards out that Partee lifted over the
crossbar.
UVU only had 6 Shots on Goal, but an off-target shot by Matt
Gay in the 80th minute was probably the most elegant soccer play of
the match. It happened when Payton received a pass from the midfield and
carried it through two GCU defenders to the goal line on the left side. From
there he zipped a low pass back into the six-yard box to Matt Gay, where Gay
attempted to re-direct it into the goal. The shot went wide, thus unrewarded,
but the play was oh, oh so nice, and it absolutely froze the GC keeper.
Ninety seconds later, Gay figured in the score of UVU’s lone
goal, when he heaved a throw-in from the touchline high into the area, where
Skyler Milne, who was dominant in the air all match long, sprang up and forced a
header into the back of the net. The GCU Keeper actually got gloved fingers on
Milne’s header, but it was struck with force and was barely deflected on its way
through the goalmouth.
After the match, Matt Gay said, “It wasn’t a pretty game. They
came in with a plan to play rough and try to physically throw us off …we worked
hard not to buy into that style of play, and tried to keep our heads. I think
we did a pretty good job of staying centered. We were able to control
possession much of the time and ultimately we found a way to put one in and
come away with a win. You have to find a way to win a game like that sometimes, and this one keeps us still undefeated on this field.”
Associate Head Coach Matt Ellinger echoed Gay’s comments,
“The tough play was definitely their plan; they wanted to disrupt the rhythm on
the field as much as possible. We were able to score that goal late though, and
that was all we needed.”
This was an important win for UVU – their first WAC win, and
with the tie that came last week against Seattle, a solid start to the
conference season. UVU's early season is loaded with challenge - Sunday they take on UNLV (more on that game below), and then fly to Seattle to meet the Redhawks on October 18th.
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Personal Observations
About the Crowd:
UVU has exceeded expectations for the season, both on
the field and in the stands. The men’s game on Friday started at 5:00 p.m. to
allow the Wolverine women’s team the opportunity to play the prime time
contest. A 5:00 p.m. start is challenging, but over 1,400 fans still showed up
– that’s still 140% of the stadium capacity. The Women went on to win a come-from-behind match against California State University, Bakersfield.
Outstanding Contributions:
The Wolverines continue to get exceptional play from so
many. The midfield, even in a disjointed game like this, demonstrated they can handle the
ball. Hoffmeister, Payton, Cawley, Milne, Pemberton all played well. The back line never
looked particularly vulnerable - Joe Barakat and Chandler Baddley joined Tyler Brown and Alex Neff in front of Collin Partee. With overlapping runs coming on the edges, the outside fullbacks log a lot miles. There were a few times when GCU was able to
bring the ball into the attacking third with space to operate – but very few,
especially in the second period when the boys in green controlled 70% of the
possession.
The UVU forwards take their responsibility to heart – Matt Gay
continues to be a Beast, when he and Buxton play together, they can be a force.
Props also to those who come in off the bench. There are minor
on-field adjustments when they come in, but the depth of the team is apparent – what a luxury. It is obvious the coaches have a lot of confidence in everyone that steps onto the pitch. Checking the box scores of our WAC brethren, nobody else goes as deep as UVU. It may not be a stretch to say that the Wolverines have the deepest side in the conference.
Visiting Dignitaries:
UVU Midfielder Paul Hoffmeister has a handful of fans that chant his name whenever he sprints down the field near the touchline. His deft ability with the ball is recognized and appreciated. Hoffmeister had family and
friends fly into Utah from Germany to watch him play in this match and in
Sunday’s against UNLV. Welcome to the Hoffmeisters, UVU fans all hope you enjoy
your stay.
An Appreciation of Style:
Watching GCU play was painful from the stands. Packing in
the defense, consistent fouling and diving to disrupt the flow of a game as
much as possible, hoping to be able to pounce on a deflected ball to spring a
counter attack as the only real chance to score lacks grace and substance. It
enhances appreciation for the product that the UVU coaches and team put on the
field. In Friday’s match, there were times when the Wolverines demonstrated
some impatience, and sent a number of balls over the top that should have been
worked down field through simple passing and overlapping support. They are at their
best when they build, support, overlap, moving down field in a coordinated
effort. Watching them exhibit their individual skills it is easy to forget that
this team, as a team has played only a handful of games. They have a
considerable amount of growth in front of them, and will continue to improve as
a team with more time and experience. As their working knowledge of system and each other continues to improve, their confidence will sharpen, passing will improve, soft turnovers will decrease, the game will become more simple and cohesive. They already play with passion and force - this team is such a good thing for UVU in its search for an identity.
WAC Update:
Not too much that follows a logical path in Friday’s
results: Bakersfield beats UMKC 1-0 (Like the UVU/GCU match, closer than
expected); San Jose State beats Air Force 5-1 (Out of the Wild Blue Yonder!);
UNLV wins in Seattle 3-1 (Breaking Seattle’s undefeated WAC streak). All this brings new importance to the UVU –v–
UNLV match.
After all Friday night results were in, coach Greg Maas had one comment on Sunday’s match with the Rebels. He said, “It will be a cracker!”
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