Creighton Head Coach Bob Warming obviously wasn’t the only one to recognize the pure speed and skills of incoming Bluejay freshman Dion Acoff.
Acoff, from Upland, California, has spent the summer working with the United States’ Under-18 Men’s National soccer team. After participating in a training camp at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, in April, he apparently left a positive impression on head coach Mike Matkovich. Positive enough, at least, for Matkovich to give Acoff the nod and invite him to join the U-18 team for a May 2009 trip to the Lisbon International Tournament in Portugal.
The U-18 team sunk Finland 1-0 in the first match of the tournament, with Acoff coming off the bench in the 63rd minute at the striker position. Acoff started their next contest, a 0-0 draw against Germany, and then came off the bench again in the team’s final match of the tournament (a 1-0 loss against host Portugal).
But that wasn’t Acoff’s last experience with the U-18 team. On July 24, he started for the U.S. team during a 1-0 loss against Portadown FC in a friendly preceding the prestigious Milk Cup tournament in Northern Ireland. His team dropped its Milk Cup opener, a 2-1 loss to Denmark on July 27. But this equalizing goal gave them a 1-1 draw against Germany two days later, and Acoff’s side beat Israel 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 score through extra time.
Creighton fans’ first opportunity to see Acoff and the rest of the newcomers to the men’s soccer team will be Saturday, August 22, during a 7:00 p.m. exhibition against the Red Fury All-Stars at Morrison Stadium. Call 280-JAYS for tickets..
