UW Men's Soccer - Pitch Perfect

BY BOB SHERWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

pponents are coming after the highly ranked Washington’s men’s soccer team this season. They take their best shot against the Huskies, summoning all the intensity, urgency and rage that they can. Every game’s a battle, for victory is paramount to them.

It’s a pattern that Husky head coach Jamie Clark has come to expect. In fact, he believes his team would be at a loss without their opponents’ aggression. “I do feel we’ve been a target,’’ said Clark, now in his 11th season as the Huskies coach. “I think it’s an honor and a privilege to get everyone’s best shot. That makes you better. We appreciate it.”

That appreciation might have been diminished had the Huskies dropped an early-season, nonconference match or two. They didn’t. They rolled off 12 straight victories to start the year, four in overtime, six on the road and two against a ranked opponent. Their fast start advanced the Huskies to the second-ranked team in the nation.

They began with a two-overtime win over UC Davis, 2-1. They beat 20th-ranked Grand Canyon, 2-0, with a pair of second-half goals. Grand Canyon had been gunning for the Huskies, who knocked off the Lopes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament a season ago.

In an eight-day late September span, the Huskies won three straight road matches – two in overtime – prevailing over fierce players and full-throated, full house fans. “I tell the players they’ve earned these crowds. People want to see us play,” Clark said. “Teams want to knock us off and crowds want to see that upset. It’s been fun being on the road.”

Then on Sept. 30, the Huskies opened Pac12 Conference play with a 1-0 overtime victory over 13th ranked San Diego State. Junior Dylan Teves (Kailua, Hawaii) scored the lone goal in the 94th minute. “You have to match their energy early” Clark said. “If you don’t match that energy early, you give teams the belief that they can beat you.”

The Huskies have been successful despite losing their best scorer, junior midfielder Lucas Meek (Mercer Island, Wash.) to a broken collarbone on a diving header Sept. 3 against Grand Canyon. He could be back by mid-October. “It happened on the last play of the game. He was en route to be a national player of the year nominee,” Clark said. “Three goals, three assists in three games. It speaks to our other guys. Our coaches were worried, but the players didn’t bat an eye.”

Clark, a former Stanford All-American, took over the UW program in 2011. His teams never have had a losing campaign and have qualified for the NCAA Tournament eight times, reaching the quarterfinals three times, including last season. The Huskies have been in the top 10 for 28 straight weeks, the longest current streak in the country.

Last season, the Huskies were ranked seventh with a 12-4 record. It was the fifth straight season and ninth time in 10 years that Washington has won at least 12 games. It was the fourth time that they lost four or fewer. Teves said Washington’s winning consistency is the result of Clark’s willingness to innovate and change from season to season, team to team. “He always tries to be a step ahead of everyone else. He’s just always learning. He’s a good role model for the team,’’ Teves said. “We’ve grown as a team that can do everything, possess the ball, move the ball quickly, and counterattack. We have a much more well-balanced way of playing to combat different opponents who pose different challenges for us.”

Teves, just 5-foot-7, and Christian Soto (Des Moines, Wash.), at 5-foot-5, are the slight but scrappy Husky midfielders. Adding to that welterweight fight is feisty 5-foot-10 mid/defender Kalani KossaRienzi (Berkeley, Calif.). “Some teams play three or four midfielders. We play with two,” Clark said, “and somehow they still manage to win balls. They’re won more than their fair share of battles. They embody the sort of fighting spirit we have as a team. “Then we have really, big strong athletic defenders. They clean up a lot of stuff,” Clark added. “Everyone understands their roles. We’re very difficult to beat when guys understand what they’re good at.”

Senior Ryan Sailor (Colorado), junior Kendall Burks (Tacoma, Wash.) and junior Charlie Ostrem (Shoreline, Wash.), the Pac-12 defensive player of the year and third team All-American, anchor the defense. Sophomore keeper Sam Fowler (Issaquah, Wash.) is the team’s primary goal denier. He was 11-2-0 last season with a 0.62 goal average in 13 games. “He’s (Fowler) an old soul in there for us,” Clark said. “He’s played in a lot of big games, big moments.”

The Huskies have two months of tough conference play before the start of the NCAA Tournament (Nov. 19). “One part of me wants to say it’s brutal (schedule). The other part wants to say exciting,” Clark said. “We’re heading into what might be the best group (of teams) in a long time. At one time an 8-2 record might win it, or 9-1. I think it might be 6-4-1 to win it this year. It’s more challenging than it has been in the last few years. We’re excited about that.”

Washington, with five consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including two straight to the quarterfinals, entered conference play as an experienced and tested team, used to big games and pressure situations.

“When you think about playing in big games, you get used to being uncomfortable. We talk to guys about embracing that uncomfortable feeling,” Clark added. “Embrace it and not back down when times get hard and challenging. Find a moment or two to turn the tide.”