The Quest University Kermodes Men's Soccer team continued tuning up for the regular season by hosting the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and the Trinity Lutheran College Eagles Saturday (Aug. 28).
The team battled UBC first, and coach Adam Day was pleased by the team's effort against the highly ranked Thunderbirds squad.
"We knew going into this game that we would be the underdogs," he said. "I thought we played very well defensively and kept the game very close."
UBC is a favourite to win the National Championship and Day said he was impressed by his team's ability to hang in there with the highly skilled players. The Kermodes lost 1-0, showing keeper Evan Cross was solid in goal.
"Evan played really well," said Day. "Overall it was a solid team effort. We missed a penalty and they scored on a penalty so this was a very close game."
Day said Cross, a 麻豆社国产resident, has an opportunity to shine with regular starting keeper Lucas Menz on the shelf with an injury.
"It's been tough for Evan with Lucas in front of him all last year," he said. "But Evan came back fit and sharp and has really stepped up with Lucas out. We really feel like we have two of the best goalies in our division in Evan and Lucas. We're really lucky to be set in that position."
Forward Mawuena Mallett failed to score on a penalty kick to tie the game but was a threat to score against UBC all game. Day said he expects a lot out of the second year Vancouver native this season.
"He's got all the attributes but we're just trying to get him to play a little smarter," said Day. "He played a lot this summer in Hong Kong and Abbotsford and I think it's going to really improve his game."
Quest then took on Trinity Lutheran College Eagles. Day was disappointed by the way the team performed, he said, particularly in the first half.
"We made some changes and put different players in against Trinity but the first half was disappointing," he said. "We just didn't compete enough. Trinity seems to play an almost South American style of game and our guys didn't really adjust to them that well."
The team fell behind 3-1 after the first half of play and the score didn't change in the second. Peter Cooper, who was trying out for the team, scored the lone goal for the Kermodes. Day said Cooper is in a position to decide whether he wants to be on the Kermodes roster come the start of the season.
"We're hoping something might materialize, but we'll have to see on him."
In the day's other game, UBC defeated Trinity Lutheran College 5-0.
Next up for the Kermodes is a game on Sunday (Sept. 5) against a U18 team from Burnaby and then the season will open when both the men's and the women's team take on the Vancouver Island University Mariners on Saturday, September 11 at Mariner Field in Nanaimo.
