Marquette University Athletics
Steve Adlard's Coaching Diary
10/22/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Once a week during the soccer season, Steve Adlard, Marquette University's head men's soccer coach, will share his thoughts on the Golden Eagles' squad.
October 22, 1999
Q: Talk about the Oakland University game your team played earlier this week
A: The Oakland game was a tough match. They are an outstanding team that experienced a couple of poor results prior to meeting us. They have a small squad and at times they have limited personnel available to them and that might have had something to do with some of losses.
When we played them, they were outstanding. We clearly had the second best team out on the field during the first 30 minutes -- they scored one goal and could have had more. In the second half, I thought that we got more into it and actually had the best of the play. Unfortunately we got caught later on and that's the way the game goes. We didn't convert our chances and, while we created some opportunities, the sharpness really wasn't there. I think that we've been in decline a fraction with the combination of fatigue, travel and exams all playing a part. I think that we are past that point and look for us to be ascending again.
Q: Before meeting Oakland, your team came up with a big win over Cincinnati
A: The Cincinnati win was truly a great performance with guts and hard work. Cincinnati came here nationally ranked and optimistic and I think that we took the wind out of their sails. They outplayed for awhile and, at times, they still had the best of the play even when it looked like we were going to score. But (Marshall) Morehead and (Sean) Reti scored brilliant goals and I think that defense held firm. I think the team showed good qualities, holding up under pressure, learning to play together to avoid problems and obviously the critical finishing counts for something.
Q: This Saturday (Oct. 23), you have a home conference match against South Florida
A: It should be a great game. South Florida is a talented team that has played a tremendous schedule. I think that they have had some difficulty in finishing some of their games. They are coming close but coming in second by the odd goal. I know that they will come in here ready to play.
One of the problems with this particular game is that South Florida is coming in here and they have a good team. Last year, they beat us, 6-0, but they are struggling to qualify for the conference tournament to this point. A loss to us would really put them behind the eight ball for getting into the tournament. The irony is that they are probably one of the best two or three teams in the league. What we are telling our players is that as long as South Florida has the commitment to play in the conference tournament and have a chance to go the NCAA's, they'll come in here fighting hard.
