Over the course of the 2007 men's soccer season, UE senior Dustin Awe will provide a regularly updated blog entry about life as a Purple Ace.
Blog entry #6 - October 31, 2007
It is definitely an exciting time for our Aces soccer team. It is getting close to the end of the season, and I feel as though we are playing better now than we have all season. Coming off a heartbreaking loss against Bradley, we knew that we had to start getting points in our remaining MVC games in order to put ourselves in a good position for the conference tournament. The Bradley game was a tough loss, and the bus ride home definitely added insult to injury. It was raining the whole way back, and the bus had a leak. Approximately every thirty minutes, water would drop on someone's head or lap. Erik Johnson undoubtedly got the worst of it by getting dumped on several times. Although humorous (he was in the seat in front of me), I couldn't help but feel bad for the guy.
After the Bradley game, I know that everyone couldn't wait to get back to playing on Black Beauty Field in front of a home crowd. We would soon get our chance when a very good Eastern Illinois team came to town. Eastern Illinois is a team who has had a lot of success this season, and also a team that we have struggled with in the past. Last season they embarrassed us pretty good at their place, so naturally this was a game we have had circled on our calendar for quite some time. Thanks to an outstanding team effort, we were able to return the favor and get an extremely crutial win. This win puts us at a 2-2 conference record, and put us back in a great position where we control our own destiny in the MVC.
While it was great to get a conference win against a quality opponent, the celebration didn't last long because we knew that we had to focus on our next opponent - IU. This game means a lot for not only our squad, but for everyone who has ever supported or been involved in Aces Soccer. The IU - Evansville rivalry dates back to times before some of us were even born, when the two teams used to battle each other for national titles and bragging rights. As you can tell, this game held a great deal of significance for everyone. Going into the game we wanted to play our hearts out for all the alumni who did the same before us. Although we came up a goal short (losing 2-1), at the end of the game you could look everyone in the eye and know that they gave it everything they had. We wouldn't have been satisfied with anything short of a victory, but it was reassuring to know that your teammates will always be there to fight for 90 minutes with you when you need them most.
To comment on Dustin's blog,
click here.
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Blog entry #4 - October 1, 2007
The theme for our season thus far has definitely been 'a tale of two teams'. At times it seems like we are a team that can play with anyone in the nation, and at other we struggle. The last couple of weekends at the Wisconsin- Green Bay Tournament and at our Aces Pro Rehab Classic have been perfect examples of this, playing great in our first matches of the weekend (against Denver and Mercer), and coming up short in the second (against Wisconsin-Green Bay and IPFW). Our team made tremendous strides this past week, winning two overtime games on the road against two very tough opponents.
First we headed to Kansas City to face the Kangaroos of UMKC. What really got things off on the right foot was the hotel we stayed at on Wednesday night. The beds were amazingly comfortable, which is the chief criteria among players for how good the hotel is - I have no doubt that everyone got the best sleep of our lives! While the beds were fantastic, we knew that we still needed to get a win to make the trip a success. The entire game was up and down for both teams. I felt that we had a number of opportunities to give us the lead, but we were unable to capitalize. At the end of regulation the score remained 0-0 as neither team was able to convert on their chances. As time wound down in the second overtime, it seemed inevitable that we were going to have to settle for a draw - that is until Dan Gibson collected a ball from twenty-five yards out and decided to have a ripper into the side netting to give us the win!
In the second game of the weekend against Butler, we again struggled to put away our scoring chances in the first half. This time we had a little more of a challenge, as by halftime we had managed to dig ourselves into two-goal deficit. We knew that we had to get back to playing Aces soccer if we wanted a to get back into the game. We definitely woke up in the second half. Our team defending and communication was better ten fold compared to the first half. We came back to tie the score in the 90th minute, and once we got two great goals from Mike Luttrull and Kipp Erskine, we knew that there was no way we were losing the game going into overtime. The game winner came from a brilliant play when Cory Elenio beat two defenders and played a perfect cross to Luttrull, who headed the ball home. While a few of us got a couple of knocks in the celebration pile, it was definitely a worth it to come up with a result like that on the road, against a good opponent.
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Blog entry #3 - September 6, 2007
This last week was a tough one for the Aces squad. The day before we left for our Memphis Tournament, we suffered a huge loss when Tom Irvin went down with a broken foot. Although Tom had a successful surgery and is on the mend, he unfortunately will be out for the remainder of the season.
This past weekend we started off the season with our first tournament in Memphis, Tennessee. One thing we knew we had to improve on from last season was getting results on the road, and this tournament was a great opportunity for us to begin. Unfortunately, we were unable to salvage a point from the weekend. Our first opponent was Oral Roberts from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I felt the first half of the match was fairly even, with both sides having several opportunities to grab the lead. With a 0-0 halftime score, I was confident that while not playing our best, we would find a way to win. Although we were the first to score in the second half, inconsistent team defending is what allowed ORU back in the game, and in the end, to be victorious. Following the ORU match, we knew we had much to improve on for our game Sunday against Memphis.
Our day off between the game was extremely beneficial. It gave us a chance to go over some things from the ORU game that we needed to work on. The day off also gave us a chance to see the sights and sounds of downtown Memphis. The food was also amazing. I think the majority of the squad would agree that the highlight of the trip was watching Cory Elenio, Ben Harner, and Sam Bornstein cry after their beloved Michigan Wolverines suffered an embarrassing opening game loss to App. State in football.
Heading into the Memphis game, we felt that we were much more prepared in our team defending, and ready to get back to playing Aces soccer. This game was extremely up and down, providing a very entertaining match for the fans. While we did a great job of making Memphis play our game, what killed us was our lack of concentration on set pieces and in later stages in the game. I felt that we had many opportunities to win this game and the result really could have went to either side. While we came up short, the comparison to to the first game was night and day in how we defended and played for each other. Alec Dufty also played outstanding in the goal Sunday night. His impressive goalkeeping definitely put us in a great position to win the game. Ian McAuley also netted his first goal of the season off a great header from freshman Robby Lynch.
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Blog entry #2 - August 29, 2007
Following the Louisville exhibition game, we knew that week 2 of preseason was going to be a tough one. Having 100 degree temperatures at times was also working against us. Saying that, I felt that we did a good job of coming together and working on parts of the game we needed to improve on. While our coaching staff pushed us even harder this week, the squad did a great job of responding and rising to the challenge. Everyone is getting more used to playing with one another and it has definitely shown in our quality of play.
Our hard work was rewarded Sunday with a great result in our final exhibition against Oakland City. Finishing up the pre- season with a good win gave us a lift heading into the regular season. The crowd on Sunday was amazing, and the squad would like to thank everyone for coming out and supporting us. Playing in front of a home crowd of that size (close to 2,000 fans) definitely gave us an advantage. I felt that we did a great job of controling the game and creating chances for goals. While our finishing could have been better, overall I felt as though we gave a solid performance for all 90 minutes.
In other news, all of the incoming freshman have decided to finally cut their hair. While some have gone with the unsitely mohawk look, I think we can all agree it is an improvement from their previous styles. Ben Harner is also now the proud owner of the "unique haircut award". He is now sporting a poorly cut "Euro mullet", which just makes everyone uncomfortable.
--------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
Blog entry #1 - August 20, 2007
The first week of pre-season for our team has proven to be a very demanding and exciting one. I speak for everyone by saying it feels good to be back on campus and among our friends after a seemingly short summer vacation. The first stage of our preseason were the infamous fitness tests. They consisted of the beep test, 6 minute run and Illinois agility test. While some did better than others, I am proud to say that every member of our squad exceeded the goals set by the coaching staff.
With the fitness testing out of the way, soccer practice has pretty much taken over our lives. With eight additional members to our squad from last fall, we are all still getting used to playing with one another. For the most part, I feel that the practices leading up to our Louisville game were solid and constructive. I believe the most promising sign from the first week was seeing how well the incoming freshmen have raised their level of play and dedication to make the transition into the college game.
In conclusion to our first week of practice, we had our first pre-season exhibition game against Louisville. Louisville is a very good team that we have played many times in past pre-season and spring matches, so we knew it was going to be a good test for us. For the first thirty minutes of the the game, we played our best soccer. I felt that we did a good job of getting forward and creating scoring opportunities. In a lack of concentration on our part, Louisville scored their first goal with only fifteen minutes left in the first half and their second with four minutes until half time. From that point on, it seemed as though we were chasing the game. The momentum was definitely in the oppositions favor at this point. When Dan Gibson scored off a great set piece ball from Kieran Purcell, it gave our team a great lift and brought our side back in the game. Although we had several opportunities, we were unable to convert on them to tie the game. Although we did not come out victorious, it gave our young squad much needed experience against a tough opponent. As after every game, we look to study lots of game film, learn from our mistakes, and prepare for our next opponent.
--------------------------------------------------
I am so excited about reading your blog throughout your senior year. I know this year will be icing on the cake for your legacy at Evansville, and I can't wait to see your impeccable leadership and athletic prowess shine through your squad on the pitch this year.
Your faithful fan,
Scott B.
August 26 6:36 PM
--------------------------------------------------
Hi Dustin
Just wanted to congratulate you and wish you the very best in the upcoming season and beyound.
Always remember
Play Hard
Have Fun
And Always Protect your Self at all Times
Best Of Luck
Posted by Jack P.
August 22 10:20 PM
