Spring Break
One Last Tune-Up
Huskies Host Hofstra Before Big East Play
Matt Flachsenhaar
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: Sports
The rainfall that drenched campus yesterday was the first downpour UConn has experienced in quite awhile. However, it's been much longer since the men's soccer team had to tally a mark in the loss column. They will hope their fair weather forecast continues to shine brightly tonight as Hofstra will roll into Morrone Stadium at 7 p.m.
There will be at least one looming cloud over the game plan of the Huskies tonight as defender Karl Schilling is still sidelined for the next couple weeks with an MCL sprain in his left knee. Nevertheless, there is silver lining in that cloud because Oscar Castillo was able to fill in admirably for Schilling last weekend.
"You know until we get Karl back, we'll be OK," said head coach Ray Reid. "We got Castillo - he's a good player."
This will be the Huskies' final game before Big East play begins on Saturday and they would undoubtedly prefer to head into the tougher part of the season without a blemish on their schedule.
The task is an achievable one after last weekend's showing UConn was catapulted to the No. 4 ranked team in the country and Hofstra possesses a record of 0-2-1 on the year. But no matter how it looks on paper, Reid refuses to acknowledge UConn's power.
"Yeah, we're not the favorites," Reid said. "All we're trying to do is get better."
Being labeled as the fourth-best team in the country this early in the season is also not a title Reid shows any concern over.
"We're not worried about our rank, we're never worried about it," Reid said. "We just want to keep winning."
Although UConn was only able to eek out a 1-0 win in its previous contest, O'Brian White has been a force on offense for most of this season. He has five goals in four games and has captured Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors in both weeks it's been presented so far.
"Yeah, he's a key part of what we're doing," Reid said.
This is the first of three Wednesday night games at home for the Huskies, which is a bit of a change from the normal Friday or Saturday night matches. This makes it possible for players to become more distracted by classes, or the attendance of the fan group Goal Patrol to dwindle. However, Reid remains confident that it will have no effect on his team.
"They'll be ready. It's going to be the same atmosphere as the weekend games," Reid said.
If Reid is right and everything comes together, it could be one clear night for the Huskies and one grey ride back to Hempstead for the Pride.
Contact Matt Flachsenhaar at
Matthew.Flachsenhaar@UConn.edu
There will be at least one looming cloud over the game plan of the Huskies tonight as defender Karl Schilling is still sidelined for the next couple weeks with an MCL sprain in his left knee. Nevertheless, there is silver lining in that cloud because Oscar Castillo was able to fill in admirably for Schilling last weekend.
"You know until we get Karl back, we'll be OK," said head coach Ray Reid. "We got Castillo - he's a good player."
This will be the Huskies' final game before Big East play begins on Saturday and they would undoubtedly prefer to head into the tougher part of the season without a blemish on their schedule.
The task is an achievable one after last weekend's showing UConn was catapulted to the No. 4 ranked team in the country and Hofstra possesses a record of 0-2-1 on the year. But no matter how it looks on paper, Reid refuses to acknowledge UConn's power.
"Yeah, we're not the favorites," Reid said. "All we're trying to do is get better."
Being labeled as the fourth-best team in the country this early in the season is also not a title Reid shows any concern over.
"We're not worried about our rank, we're never worried about it," Reid said. "We just want to keep winning."
Although UConn was only able to eek out a 1-0 win in its previous contest, O'Brian White has been a force on offense for most of this season. He has five goals in four games and has captured Big East Offensive Player of the Week honors in both weeks it's been presented so far.
"Yeah, he's a key part of what we're doing," Reid said.
This is the first of three Wednesday night games at home for the Huskies, which is a bit of a change from the normal Friday or Saturday night matches. This makes it possible for players to become more distracted by classes, or the attendance of the fan group Goal Patrol to dwindle. However, Reid remains confident that it will have no effect on his team.
"They'll be ready. It's going to be the same atmosphere as the weekend games," Reid said.
If Reid is right and everything comes together, it could be one clear night for the Huskies and one grey ride back to Hempstead for the Pride.
Contact Matt Flachsenhaar at
Matthew.Flachsenhaar@UConn.edu
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