The Utah women’s soccer team has another tough set of weekend games ahead, and it all starts with a big rivalry game against BYU. Utah will first play the ninth-ranked Cougars in Provo on Friday, then has a short turnaround to play at San Diego on Sunday.
The Utes are coming off of a 1-1 weekend record after a win over Houston and a loss to Cal State Fullerton.
“I think the biggest takeaway from last weekend is that we have to be ready to play whatever kind of style the opponent dictates,” said head coach Rich Manning. “Both of the teams we played had very different styles, and we hadn’t seen that before.”
Even though the Utes suffered their first loss of the season against Cal State Fullerton, they learned an important lesson that should pay dividends moving forward. Look for the Utes to be more prepared in the future for teams that bring a different style of soccer to the table.
Friday’s game against BYU is a game that both teams, and their fans, have had circled for a while. Though the football rivalry may be the strongest, the competition on the pitch is still as strong as ever. It’s a game the athletes don’t need any extra motivation for.
But while this can be a positive motivator, Manning understands it’s important for his team to keep things in perspective.
“It’s really more about our focus and concentration,” Manning said. “We need to focus on the job at hand as much as possible.”
Like most coaches in his situation, Manning understands that there is a bit of an extra edge that both sides will play with due to the rivalry.
“Both teams will have a lot of energy, and there’s going to be a bunch of crazy, screaming people there,” Manning said.
BYU enters the game undefeated with a record of 3-0, and it will be a fight for the entire game. Unfortunately for Utah, the game against the Cougars is only part of the challenging weekend the Utes have in front of them. After a night game in Provo, the Utes will have just one travel day on Saturday to get to San Diego for a 1 p.m. kickoff time on Sunday.
“It’s a huge weekend for us,” Manning said. “It will be a great test of our mindset by playing two good opponents on their fields on a short turnaround.”
Friday’s game is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff and will be televised on BYUTV. Look for Utah’s defense to continue its solid play, led by goalkeeper Lindsey Luke.
“We think we’re ready for this test,” Manning said. “We just need to continue playing with confidence.”
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