Creighton men’s soccer hit the road last weekend for a two-game trip in California. The #2 Jays were able to exit the Golden State with two wins against some quality opponents. This weekend, CU will host the Creighton Invitational; #14 Old Dominion, William & Mary, and MVC foe Drake come to Omaha. We caught up with head coach Elmar Bolowich to discuss the past weekend and the challenges ahead.
WBR: Can you talk a bit about your trip to California last weekend?
EB: We had a good time out there. It was a fun trip for the most part and the team played pretty well.
WBR: What, if anything, did you take away from the trip?
EB: I thought our team showed some resilience. We played two very different teams over the weekend and we needed to adapt to those games. Santa Clara was a great experience. They actually play on the same field as the MLS team in San Jose, so the field was beautiful and they had all the amenities of a professional stadium. Santa Clara came out and played well and we were fortunate to come away with a win. On the flip side, when we traveled to St. Mary’s, it was awful. The field was a mess, very narrow. St. Mary’s played boom ball the whole time and were relying on long throws. They would pack one side of the field and just kick it as far as they could to our side. I will not be playing there again. It was a real mess.
WBR: Can you talk a bit about the teams you will be facing in the Creighton Invitational this weekend?
EB: Well, Alan Dawson (coach of Old Dominion) is a personal friend of mine and he has a very good team. They have a fantastic front line, not just one player up top, but a great front line; we’ll need to step up on defense to contain them. They will be a well-coached team and will show a lot of discipline. For the fans who know the game, this will be an entertaining match-up and should be exciting. As for William & Mary, I am familiar with them from my time at North Carolina. They are again a team that likes to play and will give us an entertaining match. These are two teams that have the ability to beat us, and that is why we want to play them. We want to play teams that will challenge us. It should be a fun weekend.
WBR: Any update on the keeper position?
EB: They both played well this weekend. They are simply two different styles of keeper. Alex (Bolowich, Elmar’s son) is a bit more vocal with the back like while Jeff (Gal) is a bit more reserved. They both have the ability to lead. We will most likely see Alex in goal against ODU.
WBR: Does the changing of the keepers cause any confusion or frustration within the defense?
EB: No. I think the team is comfortable with both keepers. We don’t want this to continue the entire season, so we may have a decision by the end of the weekend, but we will see.
WBR: Last question; how is the team’s health?
EB: Everyone practiced and should be good to go on for the weekend.