Creighton’s men’s soccer team is back in action Saturday night, following a two-week layoff between matches. But even though they haven’t played since a 1-0 win against Cal Poly September 5, and some would say such a long lapse could have a negative effect on a team, Bob Warming told White & Blue Review the Jays have been busy.
“After the Cal Poly game, I thought there was a lot that we had to work on,” Warming said. Unfortunately, this now includes trying to find a replacement for sophomore Greg Jordan, who will miss the rest of the 2009 season due to a knee injury. Warming intimated that the coaching staff will need to try a number of solutions to replace a key member of the Bluejay defense.
“Jordan is a player that can match up with a number of different player types; your big physical guys and your quick skilled guys as well,” Warming said. Creighton’s head coach compared Jordan to another great player CU fans will remember: Matt Wieland. “Both players brought a lot of talent to the team and played a key role in our defense, and as I said before they could match up against anyone,” he said.
And while there is no use dwelling on major injuries and other things the Jays can’t control, you can bet Warming and the rest of the squad would like Jordan in his spot when they open Missouri Valley Conference play Saturday against Missouri State. The Bears posed a problem for last season’s squad and return the majority of the team that made the conference final last year against the Bluejays.
“We played over 200 minutes against these guys last season and only managed to score one goal. They will be bringing a lot of players back from last year, and they will be a real test for our club,” Warming said. Fortunately that one goal came in the MVC Tournament title game.
If the Jays are to kick-start their offense Saturday night, look for #17 to get in the mix. He’s had two weeks to rest up following a 96-minute performance against Loyola (Ill), his most minutes in a Bluejay uniform, and another 40 minutes of action against Cal Poly.
“We are asking a lot of Byron this year, and we need him to be fresh. We need him to crash the box, but also fall back and distribute,” Warming said. He also added that Jeff Thayer has been playing very well lately, and the staff wanted to get him some well deserved time on the pitch.
But when pressed to name a player fans should look for big things from this weekend, Warming called on his entire squad to answer the challenge. “I would say, collectively, our team has made a lot of progress [during the time off]. Coming off the Cal Poly game, there were a lot of things we needed to work on, and being given two weeks to work really paid off. That’s what we will be looking for as coaches.”
Come see for yourself. Spend a beautiful Saturday night at Morrison Stadium as Creighton hosts Missouri State at 7:00 p.m.
