Cal midfielder Tony Salciccia is excited to be back home in Pitbull Arena.
Edwards Stadium, nicknamed Pitbull Arena by the players, gives them the extra energy and ferocity to chase down every ball like a pitbull. After three games away from Berkeley, especially after a grueling road trip to Virginia and Maryland, the Cal men’s soccer team (1-2) certainly can use that home-field advantage in tomorrow’s 4 p.m. match against University of Central Florida.
Last week’s crosscountry trip was the Bears’ first big test of the season, and they failed to secure a single point against the Cavaliers and the Terrapins. After the Bears lost narrowly to Virginia 2-1 — a game which head coach Kevin Grimes felt Cal got “suckerpunched at the end” — they were thrashed by Maryland, 6-0.
But for Grimes and his squad, the biggest impression they have of the weekend was the intolerably hot and humid weather they endured. At kickoff time against Virginia on Friday, the temperature was around 90 degrees and the humidity was near 100 percent, completing a jungle-like climate that took a toll on Cal’s fitness.
“Friday took a lot of wind out of our sail,” Grimes said. “By the time we played on Sunday, we couldn’t muster enough to stay with Maryland.”
Back in the temperate Bay Area climate, the Bears will be facing a team known for its Caribbean flair.
The Knights have five players that hail from the Caribbean countries like Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. UCF (1-1) also has four more players from Mexico, Brazil and New Zealand, giving the squad an international flavor unseen in most collegiate teams.
“It will be different than going back east and playing teams that are more disciplined and organized,” midfielder Seth Casiple said. “This team will be more fluid. They like to play pretty.”
Of the current international players, Jamaican forward McKauly Tulloch has had the most successful career at UCF. After riding the bench in Akron as a freshman, Tulloch transferred to the Knights and exploded as soon as he stepped on the field. In his 17 games, the junior scored 15 goals, carrying UCF to its second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.
“You have to be aware of where he is,” Grimes said. “We just have to make sure to have good cover (defensively) when we are in a 1-on-1 situation.”
While the Knights live by the flair, they also die by the flair as well. Despite its physical superiority and technical talent over most opponents, UCF have yet to balance spontaneity with organization. In their first two games of the season, the Knights amassed 31 fouls and seven yellow cards.
To keep Tulloch and the explosive UCF offense at bay, Cal’s most important task will be for midfielders like Casiple and Salciccia to slow the game down and keep the ball at the opponent’s half. To do this for 90 minutes against the Knights, the players will need an extra dose of tenacity and gusto in their play.
The Bears will need to play like pitbulls in Pitbull Arena.
Seung Y. Lee covers men’s soccer. Contact him at [email protected].
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