Head coach Damon Rensing talks with reporters after the game Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field. The Spartans defeated Cleveland State, 2-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Adam Toolin/The State News
After a commanding 4-0 win over Western Michigan on Sunday afternoon, the men’s soccer team hopes to continue its hot streak in the upcoming week.
The Spartans (1-0-0) take on Oregon State at 5 p.m. Friday at DeMartin Stadium before hosting Valparaiso at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Head coach Damon Rensing said Sunday’s performance is exactly what the team was trying to do in getting the season off on the right foot.
“Certainly it’s a good start, and in soccer if you can get four goals and get a shutout, that’s even better,” Rensing said. “We got timely scoring. It was good to see (junior forward) Adam Montague get on the score sheet right away. Also a great crowd, we had almost 1,400 people at the game on Sunday.”
Freshman midfielder Dewey Lewis was in the starting 11 and scored his first goal in his first game in the green and white.
Rensing said the tally will help the former Mr. Soccer’s confidence soar for the rest of the season.
“I don’t expect 18 goals in 18 games from him, but it was great,” he said of the freshman. “He was very calm, he played very well.”
Lewis and Montague were joined by senior defender Kevin Cope, who scored the second goal of his Spartan career, and sophomore midfielder Sean Conerty on the score sheet.
The 4-0 win was the most lopsided win for the Spartans since Oct. 21, 2010 when the then-No. 21 Spartans shut out Western Michigan, 5-0.
Rensing said it was good to see an entire team effort and know the build up to the goals were just important as the goals themselves.
“The other good thing for us Sunday was four different guys scored,” he said. “The forwards, even though they didn’t score, Tim Kreutz and Blake (Skamiera) didn’t score, but they had plays that involved goals, too.”
The games this weekend against the Beavers and Crusaders will be much more difficult than the match against Western Michigan, as both teams are unbeaten so far with just one goal allowed between the two.
Rensing said the mindset doesn’t change heading into a difficult weekend like, but the lessons learned from the first game of the year must be at the front of everyone’s mind.
“We’re going to try to do the same things as we did against Western, we just know we’re not going to be able to have the ball as long or as much as we did against Western Michigan,” Rensing said. “We’re looking forward to that being very difficult and be a great atmosphere at DeMartin Stadium on Friday.”
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