Soccer club set for rematch against UVSC
In its last game of the regular season, the Utah State University men’s soccer club takes on Utah Valley State College in Orem on Saturday.
The last time the teams hooked up, the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
“The last time we played them, we dominated and moved the ball well and had a lot of good scoring opportunities, but hardly got it in the net,” said forward Brad Beckman.
When asked about USU’s strategy against the Wolverines, Beckman said the Aggies will look to attack early and often on offense.
“Our offense will be more attack-mined, which will give us more shots and more goals,” he said. “I expect a high-scoring game and am counting on a win.”
Head Coach Vince Lamarra said the Aggies (6-6-1) also plan on using a new defensive strategy against the Wolverines, also 6-6-1 on the season. He said the Aggies plan on using two sweepers.
“We’ll use our two-sweeper defensive strategy, which gets us into a rhythm and opens up the offensive end for us,” he said. “This time, we’re looking to put the ball in the net more.”
When asked what he knew about the Wolverines, Lamarra said, “They’re a good, young ball club. Since they’re a junior college, their players consist of freshmen and sophomores.”
Beckman said he heard from a teammate that UVSC plays to the level of their opponents.
With the regional tournament coming up next weekend in Las Vegas, Lamarra said the team is focused on beating UVSC.
“Even though placing high in the regional tournament means a lot to us and this game against UVSC has no meaning, we’re not overlooking it, but taking it one game at a time,”
With the weather getting colder, Lamarra said he had concerns about the greater risk of injuries to his players in Saturday’s game.
“The cold and dampness is going to affect everyone and increase injuries such as groin pulls, but we should do well,” he said. “Guys who haven’t played all year will get the chance to play and help rest some of our key players.”
Cold or rain, Beckman said the Aggies are ready to play.
“In the rain, it’s not as smooth, and harder to dribble the ball,” he said. “But we’ll play in the rain or snow, unless there’s lightning.”
Most importantly, forward Jake Carlton said the team is just starting to peak.
“Our spirits are high and we’re peaking just at the right time for regionals,” he said.
Lamarra agreed and said he believes his team is the best in the nation, if it plays up to its potential.
“We have really talented players as shown in our 2-1 loss against the number one ranked team in the nation, Brigham Young University,” he said. “If we played like we did against BYU, I don’t think anyone can beat us.”
-noisi@cc.usu.edu