Tuesday, March 31, 2009

La La and K Mart Rule the Day

We had another edition of Utah Champions League at training this morning...5 vs. 5 (including goal keepers)... first goal wins....winning team stays on....every 15 minutes, we mix up the teams and continue the games. Teams are chosen randomly. We keep track of everyone's wins and losses during the tournament (including goal keepers).

Today's champs....Lauren Hair and Katie Martinez each won 71% of their matches.


This is a great way to add some spice to training as well as give the players an idea about how they are as competitors. They may be thrown into situations where they have to play a role or position they are uncomfortable in doing. And they have to figure out a way to win as many games as possible. So La La and KMart are the queens until the next round of Utah Champions League.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Utah State Game Re-scheduled for April 8

We've had a couple of spring snow showers here in Salt Lake City. On Sunday morning we got a few inches in just a couple of hours...and this morning another shower hit early... we love the spring snow as it can extend our skiing/snowboarding seasons!

However, it is not great for our field...so we are re-scheduling our game with Utah State. Originally slated to happen this Wednesday, it will now be played on the following Wednesday, April 8 at 7:00 PM at Ute Field. Admission will be free...come out and watch two in-state teams in action...

Our updated spring schedule:

April 4 - Utah vs. Alumni (11:00 AM) at Ute Field
April 8 - Utah vs. Utah State (7:00 PM) at Ute Field
April 11 - BYU Invite (10:00 AM and 2:30 PM).
April 18 - Utah vs. Oregon (12:00 PM) at NIKE HQ in Beaverton, OR
April 19 - Utah vs. Seattle U. (10:00 AM) at NIKE HQ in Beaverton, OR

Sunday, March 29, 2009

1st Spring Day Brings Mixed Results

After almost 3 months of training and conditioning, we finally got out and played some soccer yesterday in Las Vegas. And the performances brought out some good and some bad that we can work on in the next few weeks.




Both games were played over 70 minutes...we fell to BYU, 2-1 in the opener. The Cougars got out to a 2-0 halftime lead and were able to hold on despite a late goal by Lauren Hair. The match was marked by the return to play of Hannah Turpen (injured late in the fall season), Erin Dalley (surgery last summer), Katie Martinez and Anne Shallenberger (off-season surgeries). After about 10 minutes of feeling each other out, the Cougars opened the scoring when Lauren Anderson got behind the defense and pushed it past Hannah. The goal seemed to rattle us as well as energize BYU and the next 25 minutes or so were not so great for the Utes...we didn't insist on keeping the ball and lost our composure a bit....The Cougars doubled the lead when Jennie Marshall slammed home a shot from close range...

The second half was a bit better as the Utes kept the ball and were able to create a few more chances...with Dalley and Kellie Woodfield having shots from close range saved. "La La" pulled one back with 5 minutes left when she dribbled around the corner on the right side of the BYU goal and hit a shot that the goal keeper let slip through her hands...but we could not get the equalizer.

The second game against UNLV ended in a 0-0 tie. We played some good soccer and had some chances to score in the first half. The Rebels turned it on in the final 10 minutes and were unlucky not to get the game-winner with a breakaway and a great chance on a corner kick...we seemed to tire at the end. The game marked the debut of goal keeper Shay Kennedy, who red-shirted in the fall. Shay was composed and played very well in getting the shutout.

Overall some good soccer and great feedback. We need to shore up a few things in the back...and work harder to get more people involved in the attack...

Next up, Utah State this Wednesday at 7:00 PM at Ute Field...we got some snow today, so we'll keep you posted on any changes.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Women's Week at the U.

Today begins Women's Week at the U. There are some great events and lectures going on through the end of March. Today the Keynote Address will be given by the Rev. Irene Monroe, a noted theologian and Harvard professor. And the week will culminate with the presentation on “Self-Empowered Professional Development: Presenting Yourself with Confidence”...something we could all use!

Of course, with the Ute soccer team, every week is women's week!


For more information, click here!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Spring Snow and the "Spence"


There is an old saying here in Utah that if you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes...
because it will change. After a week of sunshine and "spring" time, we had a steady dose of snow on Monday. One of those last spring showers...Great for those of us that like to get out on the slopes a couple of last times. Not good for outdoor soccer! However, we are very thankful for our Spence Eccles Fieldhouse on campus here at the U. Built in 2004, we have a full-sized soccer field to train on which allows for year-round development for our team.

We had a great training session this morning...working on speed of play as we prepare for our first spring games this Saturday in Las Vegas. The "Spence" hosts all athletic teams on campus...even the pros join in...This morning the Real Salt Lake team followed us into the facility. They were snowed out of their training field and wanted to get a good session in ahead of their MLS season opener this Saturday in Seattle against the Sounders. For more information on RSL, check out their web site: www.realsaltlake.com.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Back from Spring Break


Well, we've been gone for a week...spring break time for the Utes. Lots of things to catch up on...

**Jen Christoffers had another procedure on her knee over the break and we are excited to get her back on track. Jen has been out fighting this battle since July. Here is a photo of Jen in action and we look forward to having her back on the field soon.

**Practice resumed today after a week off...lots of rust and huffing and puffing. Four days to get ready for some spring action down in Las Vegas on Saturday.

**Spring Season is here. Over the next four weeks, we will have several competitions and events. Here is what's on tap for Ute Soccer:


March 28 - UNLV Inivte: Utah vs BYU (1:00 PM); Utah vs. UNLV (3:00 PM)
April 1 - Utah vs. Utah State (7:00 PM) at Ute Field
April 4 - Utah vs. Alumni (11:00 AM) at Ute Field
April 11 - BYU Invite (times and games TBD).

**U.S. Women come to Salt Lake...The U.S. will take on Japan here in SLC on Saturday, May 23 at Rio Tinto Stadium (Home of RSL). We will have more information about the game and other events soon!

**Hoops Update...Our men's team lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Arizona, but finished a tremendous season with Mountain West Conference championships in the regular season and the tournament.. Our women's team defeated Villanova in the first round on Sunday and will face Maryland on Tuesday night at 5:00 PM Mountain time (Check ESPN or ESPN2 for the game).

Monday, March 16, 2009

March Madness Hits Salt Lake City

The Utes are on spring break this week, so not much team activity to write about...Howver, March is here and that means NCAA Hoops tournaments...and the madness has certainly spread to the U...

Both the men's and women's basketball teams won both the regular season and Mountain West Conference tournament titles...WOW!

So both teams were happy to find out their tournament sight and opponent.
First, on Sunday, the men's team gathered to watch the selection show on CBS...their name came up early and they will be the #5 seed in the Midwest Regional...they will play the #12 seed University of Arizona on Friday evening (5:00 PM Mountain time) in Miami! If they win, they will face the winner of the Wake Forest-Cleveland State game on Sunday.

The women's team found out their fate this evening...they got a #9 seed and will face #8 Villanova on Sunday (March 22) at 10 AM Mountain Time in Raleigh, North Carolina. The winner will face either #1 Maryland or #16 Dartmouth on Tuesday.

Friday, March 13, 2009

U.S. Women Coming to Utah!


Just announced today...the gold-medal winning U.S. women's soccer team will be coming to Utah to face Japan in a friendly match on May 23rd! The game will be held at Rio Tinto Stadium, the new home of Real Salt Lake, at 4:00 P.M. mountain time.

The game will be a rematch of the exciting semifinal match at the 2008 Olympics in China when the U.S. came back to win a 4-2 thriller after trailing 1-0. The game will feature many players that will be playing in the inaugural season of the WPS.

Click here to read the announcement at the official web site of U.S. Soccer.


(Photo from U.S. Soccer web site)


Today's trivia question(s):
When was the only other time that the U.S. women came to Utah?
Who was the opponent?
Where was the game played?

More to come about this exciting event!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Argust Relays Highlight Last Week Before Break

After several weeks of training and conditioning, the Utes are looking forward to spring break next week. However, before the rest begins, conditioning coach Greg Argust set up the 1st Annual Spring Break Conditioning Relays...Held this morning...they have become affectionately known as the Argust Relays.

Captains Kelly Isleib and Emalee Rogers picked teams to start the proceedings. There were 5 events and the losing team would have to run "gassers" as well as clean up after ward!


Team Isleib: Captain Kelly Isleib, Lauren Hair, Chelsea Forbes, Lauren Porter, Shay Kennedy, Nicole Cardon, Kellie Woodfield, Christine Quinn

Team Rogers: Captain Emalee Rogers, Erin Dalley, Hannah Turpen, Morgan Skeen, Anne Shallenberger, Katie Martinez, Mallory Mitamura, Lauren Dudley

Injured: Jen Christoffers


1st Event: Medicine Ball Relay - Team Isleib Runs Away with it Running 25 yards and back with a heavy medicine ball...and Team Isleib quickly took a 1-0 lead. See the action below




2nd Event: Sliding the Plank Relay - Team Isleib Goes Up 2-0
Pushing a plank board over 50 yards seemed to favor the smaller Team Isleib...some of the taller players had a hard time with "staying low".

















3rd Event: Bag Relay - Team Rogers on the Comeback in a Killer Event
Okay, the height paid off in the next event...admittedly a tough one, especially on the quads...Team Rogers was able to pull the heavy bags and fought back to make it 2-1...Check it out below...NOT EASY!



See the agony as Hannah Turpen and Erin Dalley try to recover from the Bag Pull!




Event 4: Farmer's Walk - Team Isleib Clinches the Title
Pulling two heavy plates over 50 yards...very difficult on the hands and fingers...walking fast (no running allowed)...and Team Isleib won a close race to clinch the best of 5 title...



















Event 5: Tug of War - Team Rogers Shows Some Pride
Already faced with the task of running "gassers", Team Rogers showed some pride by taking the Tug of War to make the final talley 3-2....It seems the Team Isleib, with the title already in hand was unable to push through the pain much....and didn't show the killer instinct. See the action below!


Friday, March 6, 2009

Kobe Bryant....Soccer Fan?

This news comes courtesy of the Los Angeles Times...Kobe Bryant flew by helicopter yesterday after Lakers practice to the Home Depot Center to meet and visit with members of the Los Angeles Sol of the new WPS....

Specifically, he wanted to meet Brazilian superstar, Marta, of whom he is a great fan.

Kobe grew up in Italy as his father was playing professional basketball there. He is a big fan of Barcelona....and loves Marta' s creative style.

Check out the article in the L.A. Times.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

WPS Season Drawing Nearer

The Womens Professional Soccer League (WPS) is getting ready for its inaugural season. Teams started preseason training camp last Sunday and the opening match is scheduled for Sunday, March 29 as the Los Angeles Sol (with World Player of the Year, Marta) will host Abbie Wambach and the Washington Freedom at the Home Depot Center in California. That game and others will be shown on Fox Soccer Channel.


Seven teams will participate this year: Los Angeles Sol, FC Gold Pride (Santa Clara, CA), Boston Breakers, Washington Freedom, St. Louis Atletica, Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue FC (New Jersey). Teams from Atlanta, Dallas and Philadelphia will join the league next year.

There is lots to talk about, but of course we are pretty shallow here, so we'll start with the uniform unveiling that was held in February in New York...the Puma uniforms look nice and all, but nothing out of the ordinary...However, we are not sure about what Puma is calling the "wrap"...somewhat of a skirt that can be worn during warm-ups supposedly. We'll see if that goes the way of the bell bottoms, alligator shirts and mullet hair cuts...


Click Here for a Brief Video of the Uniform "Fashion Show"

You can also find out more information at the WPS OFFICIAL WEB SITE

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Breaking News: Kelly to Retire From Soccer

Well, you are hearing it first...we pride ourselves in having the latest news from Ute Soccer...and this is a News Flash of the highest order...Junior Ute midfielder, Kelly Isleib, is retiring from soccer effective immediately.

Kelly won the U of U Bowling tournament (her exact scores are a bit cloudy...we're double-checking our sources...however, she has hired an agent and will join the PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) for this week's event at the Don Johnson Buckeye State Eliminator Series in Columbus, Ohio. Hopefully, we will be able to see her on ESPN in the finals this weekend.

While we are said to see her leave, we wish Kelly the best! Good luck, Kelly!

Soccer Fans Can Be Cruel

Courtesy of Soccer America...we were pointed in the direction of the Dutch First Division (called the Eredivsie)...where traditional power Ajax was hosting FC Volendam, the last place team. Apparently, the Volendam goal keeper, Joeren Verhoeven, was a bit "portly" looking for the Ajax fans' taste...

Poor guy, his team is in last place. He has given up a league high of 60 goals in just 25 games...and now he has tens of thousands of fans yelling...."Ooooooohhhhh Pizza" every time he takes a kick...painful...

Click here to see the spectacle

Monday, March 2, 2009

Sunday Games Provide Great Drama and Lessons

We've been working on finishing quite a bit and, as always, there were some great goals scored over the weekend....dramatic games and incredible skills on display from all over the world. A couple of games we'd like to mention...

First, Barcelona went to Madrid to play Atletico Madrid...a 4-3 Clasico in favor of the home team, with two late goals...this has it all...Henry and Messi for Barcelona....Forlan and Aguero for Atletico... Goals from great strikes...great dribbling...beating an offsides trap...from a goalie punt...PK's...1-2 in the box...wow!

Click here to check it out for yourself (Barca in yellow- Atletico in red & white stripes)

Also, from the EPL, Aston Villa vs. Stoke....Villa is in 4th place (ahead of Arsenal) and Stoke WAY down low and trying to avoid relegation...2-0 to Villa late and with two lightning bolts...Stoke fights their way to a draw...incredible! I guess it's a lesson to never give up...

Sunday, March 1, 2009

KMart and Anne Coming Back Strong



We've mentioned a few times that we have several players in the process of "comebacks". Our injured ladies are at various stages of their rehabilitation. So far, much progress has been made. Two freshmen, Katie Martinez and Anne Shallenberger have had surgery to repair what is called compartment syndrome. The procedure is called a fasciotomy.

Katie and Anne are well on the way to full recovery and you can hear for yourself on this video.
We're glad to know they will both be back on the field for our spring season!