Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – With wildfire smoke in the air leading the postponement of their home game vs. Alberta last Saturday, it will have been a full two weeks since the Griffins men's soccer team saw game action when they kick off play on the road this weekend.
Along with it also being their first road trip of 2023, the Griffins will have a few first-year players in the lineup covering some injuries.
But despite all of the uncertainties, there are fundamental principles of play they'll be looking to rely on as they visit Mount Royal on Saturday (1 p.m.) and at Calgary on Sunday (12 p.m., both Canada West TV).
"I think the work rate, the intensity, the dedication's all there," said Griffins head coach Adam Loga. "Sometimes that extra intensity works against them where it's a situation that they're a bit more clouded and they put that extra pressure on themselves that's unnecessary.
"Keeping them clear, light and bright is the message and hopefully we can go in there and get some results."
In other words, keep it simple.
The Griffins head into Saturday's contest with a 1-1-0 record and will have a serious challenge on their hands with the Cougars, who are atop the Prairie Division with a 3-0-0 mark. MRU also won the division a year ago.
"They work hard in all four phases and that's the biggest bit," said Loga. "They work, they're talented and they're organized. Any time you have that type of formula, any team's going to be tough to beat.
"With that, we need to match their work rate and we need to be disciplined in our tactics in what we're trying to do. Hopefully we can finish our chances."
Calgary and MacEwan have a budding men's soccer rivalry where the results have gone back and forth in recent seasons.
"They're a big team, they're direct and they have caused us some problems in the past, but we've also had the better of them in the past, as well," said Loga. "It will be another tight game, I presume.
"We have to be willing to battle in the trenches. They compete hard, they battle hard, and we need to match that or else we're going to come out empty."
