Jarom Jordan

Click here for PDF Game Notes

PROVO, Utah (June 21, 2010) — BYU will attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, on the road this week.  The Cougars play at Fresno on Thursday, June 24 at 7 p.m. PT and at Lancaster on Saturday, June 26 at 5 p.m. PT

Thursday?s game will be be broadcast, tape delayed locally in Fresno on Telemundo at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 26.

“We are anxious to get out and play again,” said BYU head coach, Chris Watkins.  “We have proven to play well on the road and we will need to play our best to get points in Fresno.  It was a disappointing loss at home to Lancaster and I am sure we will be motivated to see Lancaster.”

The Cougars will meet Fresno for the first time this season while Saturday?s match with Lancaster will be the second meeting of the season.  BYU is 2-5-2 with 8 points and sits in eighth place in the southwest division.

“Every game is a must win situation for us now,” said junior forward, BJ Pugmire.  “If we want to salvage anything from this season we have to start scoring some goals and winning games.  Fresno and Lancaster are both winnable games, and it?s crucial that we get positive results this weekend.”

Kip Critchlow and the Cougars need to nab six points on the road this weekend. (BYU Photo)

BYU is 3-3 all-time against the Fresno Fuego, having won three of the last four meetings.  Fabricio Codeceira and Milton Blanco lead the Fuego with four goals each this year.  Fresno boasts a win over 2009 PDL Champion, Ventura County and ties with Hollywood and Los Angeles.  The Fuego is 3-4-2 with 11 points and in fifth place in the southwest division.

The Cougars look to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Lancaster Rattlers on May 22 at home.  BYU is 1-1-1 all-time versus the Snakes who are 2-5-3 this season with nine points and in seventh place.  Andres Bueno leads Lancaster with six goals, followed by Miguel Barrera with five.

Last weekend BYU beat Southern California 2-1 on Friday and then lost 3-0 to division leading, Orange County on Saturday.  BYU will drive to Fresno Wednesday through the night and return early Sunday.

QUICK FACTS
Who: BYU Cougars vs. Fresno Fuego
When: Thursday, June 24 at 7 p.m. PT
Where: Chukchansi Park in Fresno, CA
TV: Tape delayed broadcast on Saturday, June 26 at 9:30 a.m. on Telemundo Fresno

Who: BYU Cougars vs. Lancaster Rattlers
When: Saturday, June 26 at 5 p.m. PT
Where: Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, CATweet

Assistant Coach, Clay Christenson gives his weekly thoughts about the team on the blog known as “From the Box”.

Tough weekend. The good news is we dominated our opponents, we just couldn’t find the back of the net. To say that we’re going to be hungry for a win this weekend is an understatement. Any time you get 40 shots off in 2 games without a goal, you’re beyond anxious for the next game to start so you can have a better result. That’s where we’re at now, nowhere to go but up, and I’m confident the guys are up to the challenge.

With only 2 days to train before we hit the road, we’ll have to be efficient and pick out the most important things to work on. Obviously finishing will be at the top of our list, but we’ll also need to instill a renewed confidence in all the players. I’m very excited for the uphill climb. I think the best way to find out how much character a team has is to see how they react when their backs are against the wall. The one thing I guarantee about this team is that we’ll fight until the very last minute of the very last game of the season.

Go Cougs!Tweet

Jarom Jordan
jarom.jordan@byu.edu

Click here for complete Game Notes (PDF)

PROVO, Utah (May 18, 2010) — Following a 2-2 tie in front of 3,500 fans in Provo last Wednesday against the U21 Mexican national team, BYU will play its first Premier Development League home games this weekend. Friday, May 21 the Cougars host the Los Angeles Legends and the Lancaster Rattlers on Saturday, May 22. Both games start at 8 p.m. MT and both will air live on BYUtv and www.byu.tv.

“We know L.A. is a great team,” said BYU head coach, Chris Watkins. “They were the better team last year. We’re excited to have them at home. We’ll see how the chips fall. We’re lucking we tied (Lancaster) at home last year. They are a good team. Like every team in our league, they are certainly good enough to beat us. We’ve got to come ready to go.”

“We have to win (this weekend),” said freshman midfielder, Kip Critchlow. “We’re in a good spot right now. These are must win games. We’ve got to come out and play well.”

BYU is 0-0-1 after tying Orange County in the Cougars only PDL game of the season so far.

This is only the second meeting between the Los Angeles and Brigham Young. May 16, 2009 the Legends defeated the Cougars at Ayala Stadium Field. Sean Alvarado (‘7) and Skyler Thuresson (‘38) scored for LA.

The Legends have played four home games to start the year, going 1-2-1. LA tied Orange County 2-2, lost to Southern California 1-0, tied Fresno 2-2, and beat 2009 Southwest Division runner-up, Hollywood 3-0.

Lancaster is 0-1-2 after a 5-0 loss to the PDL Champion, Ventury County Fusion and ties with Hollywood (2-2) and Orange County (1-1). All three games were at home. BYU is 1-0-1 against the Rattlers after winning 1-0 on the road and tying 3-3 at home in 2009.

PREMIER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
After winning seven club national championships, Brigham Young University joined the Premier Development League in 2003. The Cougars reached the elite eight in 2006 and 2007. The PDL is the top U23 men’s league in North America and features 68 teams within four conferences across the United States and Canada. The PDL season consists of 16 regular season matches for each team, eight home and eight away. The PDL provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. BYU is the first and only university to own a franchise in the PDL. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions. The United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League has proven to be an important stepping stone for top professionals now playing around the world.

FOLLOW THE COUGARS ONLINE
Check out the Cougars on twitter at www.twitter.com/byusoccer or on the official website at www.byusoccer.com.

QUICK FACTS
Who: BYU Cougars vs. Los Angeles Legends
When: Friday, May 21 at 8 p.m.
Where: Provo, UT (The Stadium at South Field)
Broadcast Info: BYUtv or www.byu.tv

Who: BYU Cougars vs. Lancaster Rattlers
When: Saturday, May 22 at 8 p.m.
Where: Provo, UT (The Stadium at South Field)
Broadcast Info: BYUtv or www.byu.tv

Brady Marshall, Toni Niccoli and the Cougars look to win this weekend at home. (BYU Photo)

Assistant Coach, Clay Christenson gives his weekly thoughts about the team on the blog known as “From the Box”.

Assistant Coach, Clay Christenson

We had a fantastic game last Wednesday against Mexico’s U-21s and we need to build off that momentum for our home openers this Friday and Saturday night. With two very good teams coming into town (LA Legends, Lancaster Rattlers), we’ll have a great week of practice to help us prepare.

We have a few big advantages over the competition when they come to Provo. First, the elevation change takes a toll on the visitor’s fitness level and teams tend to run out of gas more quickly. Secondly, our field is longer and wider than any of the competition. As a result, we hold the ball very well on our big field which also tires out the competition. Lastly, there’s nothing like playing in front of a home crowd. Playing in front of family and friends provides confidence and energy for our guys.

We need to come away with 6 points and establish ourselves as a division contender.Tweet