Tonight marks Creighton’s return to the NCAA Tournament, as the Bluejays begin a run toward the 2010 College Cup. But to advance past the first round, the Bluejays will need to beat the New Mexico Lobos at Morrison Stadium. It is a program Creighton head coach Jamie Clark is familiar with — he was an assistant at New Mexico under Lobos head coach Jeremy Fishbein for four years.
“It will be fun to play against Jeremy,” Clark told WBR. “We have a great relationship, as I usually talk to him on a weekly basis. He was the first guy I called when we found out we would be playing them in the tournament.”
Along with Clark, assistant coach Jeff Rowland had an amazing playing career at New Mexico, and is considered by many to be the greatest player in the program’s history. “I have a very good relationship with the coaching staff over there, and I have done a lot of work with them as well,” Rowland said. “As recent as this past summer, I was helping them run summer camps with a number of their players and coaching staff.”
Both Clark and Rowland are familiar with the style of play the Lobos will bring to Omaha. “They are a good and physical team. We will have our hands full tonight,” Rowland said.
Creighton had the luxury and challenge of playing a number of top opponents this season. This will help when playing a team like New Mexico, which will bring a style of play to the matchup that the Bluejays are not used to seeing in the Valley. But Clark cautions Jays fans about the quality of tonight’s opponent.
“I have said throughout the year, and especially about midway through the season, that New Mexico and UC Santa Barbara were two really good teams that just were not clicking yet,” Clark said. “It is a really scary thing when you give a team like New Mexico a second life.”
How will the Bluejays match up against the Lobos? Despite fielding a physical team that attacks well and that hasn’t hit its full potential, Clark said New Mexico will make it difficult on CU and that Creighton must create opportunities on the wings to win.
“We have done a great job this season, and especially the last five games, of creating opportunities down the wings. With those opportunities, we will need success finishing off some good crosses. I think if we can get Choco [Jose Gomez] to make some good runs and finishes, we should have some great opportunities.”
As Creighton soccer fans have watched all season, the Bluejays play a more skilled, ball-on-the-turf type of game. With the physicality and offensive aggressiveness of the Lobos, it will be important for the Bluejays to play their game.
“We always like to have our guys stand up to a physical opponent, but we also want to play our game,” Clark said. “We need to play smart. Too many times late in the season we were burnt by mental errors. We need to stay sharp, create our opportunities, and finish on our attack.”
Creighton’s defensive efforts are critical tonight, too.
“New Mexico will rush a lot forward, and we will need our defense to stay strong. If we have a good showing on defense, it will open up a lot of opportunities on the attacking end,” he said.
It has been a long, grueling season for the Bluejays. A fade in the past few regular seasons matches left some wondering if Creighton hit a wall. Clark doesn’t think that’s the case, and with the new season comes new life.
“It is tough to explain, but when every game you play from here on out could be your last, you find the energy and the will. These guys are hungry and ready to play.”