Horns cool, collected heading into playoffs
On the eve of their Canada West playoff run — and just prior to boarding a bus for the West Coast — the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s soccer team ran through one more practice session early Thursday afternoon at the University of Lethbridge Stadium.
As the Pronghorns — coming off their most successful season in program history with an 8-6-1 record — get ready to face No. 10-ranked UBC Thunderbirds in quarter-final play today in Vancouver at 8 p.m. local time, they do so following the same guidelines that have gotten them this far.
Namely, a calm demeanour combined with a game face and a can-do attitude.
“I think, first and foremost, we’re just focusing on what makes us effective and fine tuning that, just really stressing composure on the ball and, like every team at this point, doing some things with set plays. It’s continuing what got us into the dance,” said Pronghorns head coach Randy Bardock. “We’ve said all along you don’t get too high on the highs and you don’t get too low on the lows. I think just being able to emotionally handle the situation. We’ve shown we can compete with the big boys in the conference. It’s more a matter of us taking care of what we need to do than worrying about whatever UBC is going to do.”
The Thunderbirds — ranked first in the Pacific Division — bring a 9-1-6 record into today’s match, their sole loss coming at the hands of the Horns in a 3-2 setback Sept. 25 at the U of L.
The Pronghorns haven’t lost since then. That win in late September kicked of a seven-game unbeaten streak to round out the season.
“I think preparations are good,” said fifth-year midfielder Chris Rushworth. “Everyone is excited now, so everyone is working for it, a bit anxious as we get closer to the weekend. We’re confident in what we can do. We beat them in the regular season and I think everybody feels there’s no reason why we can’t do it again. I think we’re confident in our abilities.
“We’ve got seven games in a row where we haven’t lost. So we just have to carry that.”
”I think we’re getting a lot better at breaking the puck out of our zone and trying to spend less time in our D-zone. I think that’s something that has been kind of bugging us a little bit. We’re playing a bit faster, which is something need to do. We’ve tuned up the intensity a little bit, so I think we’ll be ready to go offensively and defensively.”
The Cougars bring a Western Conferenceleading 12-2-1-0 record into tonight’s game. That start has the Cougars ranked fourth in the Canadian Hockey League rankings as of Wednesday.
The Regina Pats — ranked second — and the Everett Silvertips (sixth) are the other WHL teams in the top-10.