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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
An up-and-down first week of play for the Metro men's soccer team has the No.7 ranked Roadrunners with a 2-1 overall record to open the 2008 season.
In the first three games, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference defending champs answered a few questions on how the team will perform this year, but left others unanswered.
Senior forwards Ola Sandquist and Kellen Johnson look to replace the goals scored by star forward Phillip Owen last year. Sandquist scored once in each of the first two matches, and Johnson netted the opening goal in the final game.
"Kellen (Johnson) and Ola (Sandquist) are contributing on the attacking end," Metro head coach Ken Parsons said. "They're doing their job."
Parsons' large recruiting class has already started paying dividends on offense as well. The opening game on Aug. 29 against St. Martins College saw goals from two freshmen Arizona recruits.
The biggest issue early in the season involves the mistakes individual players in Metro's midfield and defense have made, usually leading to opposing goals.
"In the early preseason the theme has been, when we make mistakes we pay for it," Parsons said.
The coach isn't too worried about mistakes this early in the season, as he knows his team generally comes to form by the start of the RMAC season. Last season the men also began 2-1 before going undefeated for the next two months.
"It's not any blaring deficiencies in our system," Parsons said of the mistakes made early on. "We just make individual mistakes."
With two weeks until the beginning of the conference schedule, the players have time to regain their form and come together as a complete team.
"It's always the early season going," Parsons said. "You're just trying to develop that chemistry."
Until the mistakes fade, senior goalkeeper Ryan Vickery, RMAC Preseason Defensive Player, will be looked on to stop any defensive lapses. He didn't have to wait too long for his first good performance, however, when he denied St. Martins College in the season opener as the Runners' cruised to a 3-0 win.
The offense had rhythm, getting goals from senior forward Ola Sandquist and freshmen Chris Yoder and Scott Grode.
The second game was rife with frustration as the Roadrunners made mistakes and missed goal-scoring opportunities in their 3-1 loss to NAIA opponent Westminster College.
"We looked absolutely brilliant in the first half," Parsons said. "But we made two mistakes in the second half which cost us the game."
In the final game Sept. 1 at MSU-Billings, Metro looked to regain some composure after the tough loss. Johnson took them out to an early lead, but Montana State was quick to respond. Just before halftime, sophomore midfielder Stephen Emory fired in the winning goal, and the defense locked down in the second half for the 2-1 win.
"We had some bright spots," Parsons said on the opening week," but I don't feel like we are playing our best ball yet."
If history does repeat itself, Metro men's soccer team should not be overly concerned.
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