The Vaqueros clinch a top two-seed but could be conference champions pending results from GCU vs. UNLV
UTRGV men’s soccer clinches a top-two seed and a first-round bye for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament with a 1-0 victory today against Incarnate Word at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
The Vaqueros coming into the match needed three points to trigger a scenario in which they would still be in contention for the WAC regular season title, the first in program history.
In a dominant performance, the Vaqueros would get the result they needed as they held the advantage in time of possession, shots (11-3), shots on goal (5-1) and corner kicks (10-0) in the brutal 92-degree South Texas heat.
Junior forward Reshaun Walkes scored the lone goal of the match in the 66th minute, his fourth of the season, on assist from senior midfielder Bryce Box.
In a postgame news conference via Zoom, UTRGV Head Coach Bryheem Hancock explained that he was pleased with his team’s bounce-back performance, after dropping the first match of the season Monday afternoon to Dixie State, and with a first round-bye headed into the tournament.
“You got an opportunity to change what happened on Monday…the difference I think today was the team continued to keep patience,” Hancock said. “For us moving into conference play for the tournament obviously to get the one or two seed our biggest thing was trying to get a bye so that we’ll get more rest and prep time”
The Vaqueros will still have a chance of being crowned conference champions, pending the results of Saturday’s 9 p.m. match between Grand Canyon and UNLV, a game that Hancock candidly put forth that he will be keeping an eye on.
“I’d lie if I wasn’t going to keep an eye on the score,” Hancock said. “I think I’ll be looking from a [spectator’s perspective] just like everybody else, just to watch the match, it’ll be a good match.”
The Vaqueros will need help from the Runnin’ Rebels as they need to draw or take down the No. 15 ranked Antelopes, according to the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
It is a task easier said than done as Head Coach Schellas Hyndman’s squad has yet to drop a match this season and is averaging 2.50 goals per contest, tied for ninth best in NCAA Division I men’s soccer alongside Quinnipiac of the Metro Atlantic Conference.
Hancock pointed out that his team and coaching staff will be tuned in but said the ultimate goal of the last match of the regular-season was to earn a top-two seed going into the tournament.
“They know what is at stake,” he said. “They’ve known for a few days now, so, obviously we’ll all watch as fans. Either way doesn’t matter because our goal was just to be playing Thursday instead of playing Tuesday in the tournament and we achieved that.”
You can watch the Grand Canyon vs. UNLV match live on the WAC Digital Network.
Twitter: @Radio_Rubio
