Besides victory, the Colorado Buffaloes soccer team will take the field against Utah Friday with an additional objective: To begin developing a consistent defense.
Head coach Bill Hempen summed up his team’s long term goal as the Buffs prepare for Friday’s clash.
“Defenders have to almost be like sisters,” Hempen said. “They’ve got to know what everyone is doing, and right now we are a dysfunctional family.”
After a frustrating loss at home against Oregon, Hempen said his team could use some work in the back, an issue that has trifled the head coach since the beginning of the season.
“The back line is just something that has been bugging me since August 5th, actually since after we lost last year because I knew I had to rebuild the defense from that,” Hempen said. “Hopefully we are closer, but we’re still not a complete team right now.”
According to Hempen, the team hasn’t started the same group of players in the back since the first game in August.
Sophomore defender Kelci Newlin agrees with the coach’s remarks on the defense and said that after reviewing film, she admits the team had trouble with spacing against Oregon last week.
“Being connected in the back is really important,” Newlin said. “Organization is a big part in the back. We’ve been working on shooting a lot more and then just attacking and defending corner [kicks] and set pieces.”
Senior goalkeeper Kara Linder said she wants to end the weekend with two wins over Utah and at Florida on Sunday, while focusing on Hempen’s objective.
“We‘re going to really focus on organization and being accountable for each other,” Linder said.
As for Utah, Linder has some ideas about the team’s overall composure.
“[Coach] said they were a well-coached team,” Linder said. “Last year we went up early on them, so we expect a lot. We want to come out with high energy and try to come out on top this Friday.”
Newlin also shared her view on the Utes.
“I know they are really good ball-winners in the air, I think they are a really united team,” Newlin said. “They are pretty connected; they play well together.”
Hempen said Utah’s head coach, Rich Manning, is very orderly.
“[Rich Manning’s] team will be organized,” Hempen said. “He does a good job of finding his teams strengths and playing for their strength and I am expecting nothing less from him.”
The 4 p.m. game at Prentup Field will be Colorado’s last home match for nearly two weeks, another reason why Newlin believes a home victory could aid team morale.
“We need a confidence booster,” Newlin said. “This could be like the perfect opportunity to come out on top and get our confidence back.”
Hempen believes in addition to defensive improvement, one other area is due for change.
“We are a very nice team,” Hempen said. “We have to be a little bit more cheeky.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Esteban L. Hernandez at esteban.hernandez@colorado.edu.
