The Jays’ new Big East Conference schedule forced the White and the Blue to be away from Omaha for six consecutive days.
The Jays traveled to Indianapolis for a mid-week game against the Butler University Bulldogs, before flying to the east coast to face the Seton Hall University Pirates in South Orange, N.J. on Saturday afternoon.
“It was a rough stretch, there’s no denying that,” head coach Elmar Bolowich said. “We left campus on Tuesday (Oct. 22) and came back
on Sunday.
“That’s one of the things we have to do and deal with, but fortunately it’s not every year. And next year our schedule is much more balanced.”
“It is a lot of traveling and they are tough opponents,” junior goalkeeper Alex Bolowich said, “but we’re not a team that looks for excuses.”
The Jays (7-6-2, 3-3-1 in Big East) defeated the Bulldogs 3-2, before losing to Seton Hall three days later by the same score.
In Saturday’s game, sophomore midfielder Timo Pitter’s goal at 2:28 in the first half gave the Jays an early lead, but Seton Hall responded with three goals of their own in the next 30 minutes of game play.
The Jays got one back when Seton Hall committed an own goal, cutting the Pirates’ lead to 3-2 heading into the break.
Seton Hall outshot the Jays 11-5 in the first 45 minutes.
Pitter’s opening-minute goal was assisted by a cross from freshman midfielder/defender Fabian Herbers.
Seton Hall’s Samuel Geiler responded with his first of two goals in the match, at 5:37, to tie the game. Kai Greene gave the Pirates a 2-1 lead after his unassisted goal at 18:19. Finally, Geiler’s second goal came off a penalty kick at 32:15, expanding their lead to two goals.
“We started out well, but then we just gave up some naive goals that we probably shouldn’t have,” junior midfielder Eric Miller said.
The Jays had opportunities in the second half of Saturday’s game, but Seton Hall denied any hopes of tying the game.
Creighton outshot the Pirates 9-4 in the second half.
Pitter had a chance for his second goal of the game late in the second half, but his attempt hit the left post.
“We showed the necessary spirit and did not give up by any means in that game,” Bolowich said. “But it was just not enough energy there to turn the corner.”
On Oct. 23, The Jays used three second half goals to pick up a victory against the Butler Bulldogs.
The Jays trailed 1-0 at the half, before outscoring the Bulldogs 3-1 in the final 45 minutes.
“We struggled the first half against Butler, but then we responded pretty well in the second,” Miller said. “I thought we had our best half of the year in the second half against Butler.”
The win halted the Jays three-match losing streak.
Sophomore forward Christian Blandon’s goal at 48:48 in the second half ended the Jays’ scoreless streak that included over 367 minutes of gameplay.
Pitter tallied the game-winning goal and also picked up an assist during the game against Butler.
“The second half [against Butler] was really good for us,” senior midfielder Zach Barnes said. “We thought that was going to be the changing point of the slump that we’ve had this season, and then the Seton Hall game was one of the craziest games I’ve ever seen. Just the way it all played out and the events that happened, leaves everyone speechless.”
After splitting the two games on the road trip, the Jays sit in fifth place in the Big East men’s soccer standings with two conferences games remaining. The top six teams qualify for the conference tournament.
Elmar Bolowich said that as the team moves on they can’t make any major changes.
“You cannot change anything major,” coach Bolowich said. “Let’s face it, in the beginning of the year we looked pretty ok; we did well, we had a good lineup, and we still do. We still have a good lineup. We played phenomenal in the second half of the Butler game, so those are the good parts.
“At this point you just take the good parts and you stick to your lineup and you assure the players that we are all in the same boat, we’re all behind one another and let’s just go game-to-game and see what kind of damage we can do.”
Barnes said he knows the importance of the Jays’ upcoming games.
“We just have to make sure from now on that we are actually taking care of business,” Barnes said. “Now it’s starting to get to the point and time where we lose one more and we could potentially be done.”
ophomore midfielder Timo Pitter and sophomore defender/midfielder Vincent Keller converge to jostle the ball loose. Pitter has provided an offensive spark for the Jays.
Sports Photographer