SEWARD, Neb. – The last time the Concordia University men’s soccer team competed, it walked off of Bulldog Stadium encouraged that it was headed in the right direction. The disappointment came from the result – a 2-1 loss to Bellevue University on Sept. 1. However, it was proof that the Bulldogs are capable of competing with some of the country’s top teams. The Bruins (5-0-1) jumped into the national rankings this week at No. 16.
Now faced with its second road test of 2018, 11th-year head coach Jason Weides’ squad has hopes of earning a more favorable result this Saturday when it plays at Kansas Wesleyan University. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. CT from Graves Family Sports Complex on the Kansas Wesleyan campus. A live stream for the game can be found HERE.
Now 1-2 overall, Concordia is still working on putting everything together in the early season. The Bulldogs’ lone win so far was a 4-2 decision over Tabor College (Kan.) in the season opener on Aug. 25. The latest tweak made by Weides was to add David Carrasco to the starting lineup versus Bellevue. Carrasco tops the team with two goals. Jack Arra, Carlos Ferrer, Roger de la Villa and Konrad Sinu have one goal apiece. Ferrer’s goal in the 54th minute of the game versus Bellevue staked Concordia to a 1-0 lead at the time.
The Bulldogs are expecting to tighten up their defensive play moving forward. Each of their first three opponents have put two goals on the board. Last season Concordia allowed its foes only 16 goals over 20 games while posting nine shutouts. There are no worries about what the Bulldogs have in goal with senior Jack Bennett, who has started and played all 270 minutes to begin this season. Some adjustment period elsewhere may have been expected considering the large 2017-18 senior class.
Kansas Wesleyan (1-1) ventured to California to begin its season. While there, the Coyotes defeated University of Antelope Valley, 2-0, and fell at the hands of then 13th-ranked Vanguard University, 2-0. Guided by second-year head coach Diego Cocon, Kansas Wesleyan is coming off a 10-10 overall mark in 2017. The Coyotes were picked fourth out 13 teams in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason poll. They return leading goal scorer Diego Rodriguez, who tallied seven goals last fall.
The Bulldogs will get back to playing twice next week. They are slated to host McPherson College (Kan.) on Wednesday, Sept. 12 before traveling to Wichita, Kan., to play at Friends University on Saturday, Sept. 15.