As the weather starts to get cold and sports fans start wandering towards the warm confines of basketball gyms across the country, the University of the Incarnate Word has still managed to generate interest in the exploits of their men's soccer team.
And by interest, we mean over 1,200 people attending a soccer matchup between the Cardinals and Midwestern State on Thursday night.
"The crowd seemed bigger than that because of their energy and how rowdy they were,” UIW coach Vincent Martinez said. “The guys really fed off of that support and it truly felt like a different game.”
If you were one of the few people in the 78209 zip code who wasn't in attendance, the Cardinals (14-2-3) defeated their biggest in-region rival, 1-0, in a game that saw the game-clinching score cross the goal line at 88:19 on the scoreboard when Callum Riley set up Vinny Bailey in front of the MSU net.
101 seconds later, it was over.
It was the first time, ever, that UIW had defeated Midwestern State in the post season and it was, unofficially, the biggest crowd to watch a Cardinal soccer game, ever, which is something that Martinez, his coaching staff and his players have all been very pleased with and honored to be a part of.
“The guys are living it up and I'm happy that they get to soak in this incredible playoff atmosphere that we have going on at UIW right now,” Martinez said. “They're going about it in a professional manner, but the team and I really want to thank everyone – the students, the alumni, the faculty, the youth players and their families – for the wonderful support we have been getting.”
But winning a first-round playoff game doesn't mean you get to bask in glory of your accomplishment – it means you have to get ready for the next game. The next game for UIW is happening on Sunday in Durango, Colorado, where the Cardinals will fly out to take on Fort Lewis College at 3:30 p.m. (central)
Fort Lewis (20-1-0) soundly defeated Metro State on Thursday and then waited to watch the thrilling game in San Antonio between UIW and MSU. As the number one seed in the region, the Skyhawks were guaranteed to host the first and second round games, provided they avenged their only loss of the year (a 1-0 loss in Durango to Metro State).
They did, and now they are hosting Incarnate Word in a game that is calling for cold temperatures (snow is a possibility) between two teams that haven't met since 2009 and only have 11 contests against each other (Fort Lewis holds a 5-4-2 advantage in the series).
That last meeting took place in San Antonio and ended with a 2-1 result for the Cardinals. It would turn out to be the lone loss on the Skyhawks' 2009 record – the same year they won their second NCAA Division II National Championship in five years (they made three trips to the final game in that same span).
But all that is history and now both teams are having to prepare for an opponent they don't really know much about.
“All I know is that they're well-coached and are a physical team,” Martinez said. “We have to be ready for anything against Fort Lewis.”
With the weather being decidedly winter-like, an additional factor that the Cardinals will need to prepare for is playing on a grass field in 30-degree temperatures with a good chance of snow on the field. Those kinds of conditions make for a slick playing surface.
“We're going to have to make sure we all bring the right boots for the weather,” Martinez said, referring to his team's cleats.
Gayle & Tom Benson Stadium has a Hellas Matrix – which is grounded up rubber pieces with plastic grass that has become a popular alternative to grass – and Fort Lewis' field is natural grass. So, the Cardinals were already heading to Colorado knowing they'd have to adjust their footwear and be ready for a slightly different bounce on the ball.
But Martinez says that the Cardinals are benefitting from they're large senior core and staying focused on what they need to do to keep their season going. He isn't worried about an emotional drop off after breaking the Mustangs and he's confident his team will go into Durango and give the No. 1 seed everything they can handle.
“The guys are up and ready for it.”
Sunday's game will be broadcast on the internet via radio and video free of charge, courtesy of the Skyhawk Athletic Department. Links to the various ways to watch or listen to the game can be found at goskyhawks.com or at cardinalathletics.com.
