Men’s soccer splits with Weber, SLCC
It was a weekend of much needed improvement for Utah State men’s club soccer as they split results with Weber State and Salt Lake Community.
As he has done throughout the season, Landon Potter scored all three goals for the Aggies.
“Landon’s like the only guy that’s scored on our team,” midfielder Darin Christensen said. “He just gets lucky sometimes. They seem to hit half the post and half the net – I don’t see how he gets them in.”
The game of the weekend came against Weber State who handed the Aggies a 4-2 loss in front of a large crowd.
A few tactical changes on defense led to an improved score line from Wednesday’s 9-2 loss to UVSC.
“What we did was take two of our best athletes and put them back on defense until we get our injured players back,” Head Coach Vince Lamara said.
Moving Greg Larsen and Danny Spillman from midfield to the backline, Lamara said they would do well at closing down opposing strikers because of their fitness and ball control.
“Greg Larsen and Danny Spillman absolutely dominated their forwards,” sweeper Jake Carlson said. “Every goal they scored came from overlaps in the midfield, so their two forwards didn’t do a thing all game because of Larsen and Spillman.”
Things were looking good for USU early on in the match. Colby Jones found himself behind the Weber defense with the ball in the seventh minute. But the WSU goalkeeper smothered Jones’ close-range shot.
In the very next minute, Weber went on the attack – systematically working through the Utah State defense and even beating goalkeeper Mike Goodman. Just as the ball seemed to be heading into the net, Carlson came in behind Goodman and cleared it off the line and out of danger.
Just two minutes later, the Wildcats opened the scoring on a free kick from 25 yards out. The initial shot traveled on the ground past the defensive wall but took a deflection that put the ball just out of Goodman’s reach.
Throughout the rest of the half, WSU scored another goal, but USU continued to create dangerous scoring chances. In the closing minutes before halftime, Jones was on the receiving end of a through ball from Anley Tefera. Jones’ shot beat everyone except the post.
“Sometimes it bounces out and sometimes it bounces in,” Jones said.
The goal frame was unkind to Utah State.
“Other than hitting five off the post, we did pretty well,” Carlson said. “It’s one of those games where you can’t get anything in the net – other than Landon.”
Potter put his first goal in when the Aggies were down 3-0 late in the match. In the 83rd minute, Potter lead a break downfield and sent in a cross. The pass was cleared by the Wildcat defense, but fell right back to Potter who crushed the ball into the net.
Weber would add another tally on the score sheet before the final whistle, but it was Potter who would double Utah State’s score in the final minute of play. Christensen floated a nifty ball into the box. Potter received it on his chest and then slotted a shot into the far-side netting.
“That’s how it happens – some games you’re in the right place,” Potter said of his goal-scoring streak.
Potter continued to be in the right place on Saturday afternoon when he scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over SLCC.
The match almost started in disaster for USU when a shot in the 11th minute went through the hands of goalkeeper Robby Nelsen. Carlson was there, however, similar to the night before, to keep the ball from going into the net.
Midway through the second half, midfielder Kenny Reid was fouled in the penalty area,and the referee pointed to the spot. Jones stepped up to take the penalty. His shot was saved, but the rebound fell to Potter, who pounded in his seventh goal of the year.
“What can I say? Landon Potter – again,” Lamara said of the outcome against SLCC.
The Aggies play their first road game of the year tonight, traveling to Rexburg, Idaho, to take on BYU-Idaho at 6 p.m. They finish out their home schedule with three games this weekend. Snow College comes in to town for a Friday game at 6 p.m. Then on Saturday the University of Utah will play at 1 p.m. Their last home game of the season will be on Sunday when they take on Colorado State at 11 a.m. All games will be played at the Tower Field.
-stm@cc.usu.edu
Utah State´s Jeff Kelly has the ball stolen by a Weber state player on a sliding kick, Friday in Logan. The men´s club soccer team lost to WSU 4-2. (Tyler Larson)