Westmont Soccer Heritage Club

Connecting current & former players, parents, students and friends of Westmont soccer.

Post-Game Interview with Scott Williams (Junior Midfielder/Defender from Albuquerque, NM)

Scott-williams-0817

Profile: Scott Williams:

The team picked up a win today in the season opener. How do you think the team performed today?

"To be honest, though we picked up the W, we didn't play all too well. Especially in the the first half, we played down to the level of competition. However, we did play well enough to win even though we weren't great on the day. We'll have to play better on Saturday to get a result."

Though you played left back and midfield today, you were very active on the offensive side of the ball. Tell us a little about that aspect of the game.

"I could tell right from the start that their back four was a bit insecure with their passing. Anytime I saw a loose pass, I tried to hunt the ball down as much as possible to create a counter-attack for our side. Our forwards were making good runs, so I was able to find them for some quality scoring opportunities."

With five goals today, our team did pretty well on the attacking end. What, in your opinion, facilitated that?

"We challenged well in the air both in the midfield and in the box. We also got a lot of good holds from our strikers which created opportunities for us to go forward and put pressure on their defense."

What could we improve on going into a tough match against Simon Frasier (B.C)?

"In my opinion, we played too much on one side of the field. We forced passes into areas instead of looking to switch the ball properly. We need to get our outside backs into the game more and find our central midfielders who are adept at the changing the point of attack. We want to find Hugo Pizano (Sr.) or Anthony Strunz (Jr.) especially in that role."

There have been several newcomers to the team that have already become key contributors. Who has stood out to you thus far?

"For me, Kam Bechler, a freshman central defender, has been solid already in the back. In his first collegiate start today, he looked sharp and played with good pace. Isaac Thompkins, a freshman outside midfielder, can use his speed to attack the defensive backs. He was instrumental in winning a PK for us late in the game today. And, clearly, our two transfers Doug Harrell (Soph.) and Daniel Torres (Jr.) have proven to be dynamic forces up top."

Last question. Dillon Barna scored his first collegiate goal today on a PK. What do you think about that?

"Well, first I thought he was going to blast it too hard and over the net :-). Yet, when the foul was called, Dillon was the first to want to take it. Sometimes it's good to give the shot to whoever feels most confident rather than your set guy. Dillon stepped up there and drove it home. It was awesome to see such a defensive leader make it on the stats sheet."

I sat down with Ben Gordon ( Sophomore Midfielder from Sedona, AZ)

Profile: Ben Gordon

What are your general impressions of the team thus far?

As coach has said, we have a lot of depth being able to play different formations in one game can help us offset the other team and make them react to us. Furthermore, being so deep and having fresh legs will be beneficial as we play in a tough GSAC conference and hopefully allow us to go even farther than last year.

You scored your first collegiate goal last Saturday against UCSB. Could you walk us through it?

I remember there was a gap in the defense and they froze up as Daniel Guzman (Soph.) got a ball slipped down the right flank. I saw him and realized it was just me and the goalie. He hit a great, firm pass to me. I didn’t have to hit it too hard just made sure to have solid contact and guide to it to the back post. As soon as I made contact, I remember being clipped from behind by a UCSB defender and falling to the ground. It seemed like slow motion as I watched the ball beat the keeper and cross the line. Then I realized, I think I just scored!! Guzman and I just stared at each other for a second in pure shock and then I remember grabbing my Westmont shirt and proudly showing the symbol to the crowd.

What, as a team, can we take away from the UCSB game both positively and negatively?

On the positive side, we came in firing on all pistons, right on them at the start for a good 75 minutes. We are a quick team who can play with pace. Defensively we pressured very well. I think we have a top of the line defense. If we connect that defense to our midfield and find our strikers making good runs, we’ll be a tough team to beat. On the negative side, we need to be fresh fitness wise, rest when we have the chance. We need take care of ourselves with lots of water and rest. When we get the opportunities, we need to focus on keeping ourselves healthy and ready for the next game.

What are your goals as an individual this season?

This year I really want to be more solid on technique. I want to be a player that my teammates trust when they give me the ball. They know that I’m going to take care of it or distribute it well. And to be honest, I just want to get some assists and put the ball in the back of the goal!!

What are some of the most important lessons you learned from the alumni a few weeks ago?

It seemed to me that they were still in training camp, enjoying one another's company and cherishing the Westmont tradition. They are still a family and I love that. They buy our boots each year, which is very helpful. I just love that family aspect. Also, the thoughts of defender Kevin Smith were great. The idea that if you work harder in practice and keep pressure high on Lovik, games will seem so much easier. I’m truly grateful for those valuable lessons I learned from the alumni and will keep them with me this year.