Anyone who watches this sport with regularity understands
how thin the winning margin often can be.
The UVU men’s team now has three games behind them, and sits
at 1-2-0. The women have played six matches, with a record of 3-2-1. Clearly,
for the ladies their best win came against Baylor University, who lost to UVU
1-2 on Friday the 29th, and then beat the BYU women’s team 2-1 on
Monday, September 1st.
The men’s team soundly defeated UMass 5-1 on August 30th
, and outside of about a 15 minute stretch in the middle of the first half,
they really controlled the run of play throughout. They then travelled to
Chicago and played DePaul University and Loyola Chicago back-to-back on
Saturday and Sunday, loosing both matches 0-1.
Paul Hoffmeister feeds Karson Peyton for UVU's first goal
The UMass match was picture perfect – from the weather, to
the crowd, to the on-field play - everything was exactly what the Utah County
Visitor’s Bureau would have wanted in a night of soccer in Orem. The team
looked skilled and strong and played
well together, especially considering it was their first-ever contest. They did
not look like a team that was playing its first match.
Traveling to the mid-west though brought the kind of challenges you might suspected a team would encounter their inaugural year. Unfortunately, neither game was broadcast (or, at least, I couldn’t find either one of them). The only information back to us here in Utah was via Gametracker. I’ve followed baseball games through Gametracker before, but this was a first, trying to follow a soccer match that way. To me, following a text line that was updated every minute or two, both matches seemed even. In fact, it seemed the Wolverines had the upper hand by a very slight margin in the Loyola Game. DePaul won the first match on a late set play from about 25 yards out into the upper corner of the goal (the ball hit the post right at the upper corner and deflected into the goal – this came in the 84th minute). I later saw the goal, posted on the DePaul Athletics website. Honestly, Nick Ramando could not have stopped that goal - the shot was just too much. The loss to Loyola came on a deflected own goal (this too was very late - 86th minute). Ouch. Hate when that happens.
Traveling to the mid-west though brought the kind of challenges you might suspected a team would encounter their inaugural year. Unfortunately, neither game was broadcast (or, at least, I couldn’t find either one of them). The only information back to us here in Utah was via Gametracker. I’ve followed baseball games through Gametracker before, but this was a first, trying to follow a soccer match that way. To me, following a text line that was updated every minute or two, both matches seemed even. In fact, it seemed the Wolverines had the upper hand by a very slight margin in the Loyola Game. DePaul won the first match on a late set play from about 25 yards out into the upper corner of the goal (the ball hit the post right at the upper corner and deflected into the goal – this came in the 84th minute). I later saw the goal, posted on the DePaul Athletics website. Honestly, Nick Ramando could not have stopped that goal - the shot was just too much. The loss to Loyola came on a deflected own goal (this too was very late - 86th minute). Ouch. Hate when that happens.
Against Loyola, an early Wolverine goal was disallowed
on an offsides call, and a couple of golden chances, including a blast from 8
yards out (saved by the keeper) just did not cross the line.
I am sure the team was disappointed playing 180 minutes with
nothing on the scoreboard. But, I feel good about what these two losses tell
me. This team, one of the youngest and least experienced in the entire NCAA,
held their own against two very good sides. If those same two matches were
played again next week, it would not surprise me to see very different results.
Learning to play together, learning to understand one
another and learning game-time toughness is part of what this season is all
about – especially the pre-conference early season.
This Friday the Wolverines invite Gonzaga University, typically a very
good soccer team, to our home field. Here’s hoping 3000+ show up to cheer
on the Wolverines - this team deserves support. If you are reading this, and are in the neighborhood, you should come to the game. It kicks at 7:30 p.m., Friday the 12th and is part of the 2014 UVU Homecoming Celebration.
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