Rebels attempt to bounce back

Steve Carp

Friday, Sept. 19, 1997 | 9:04 a.m.

If there was a central message Barry Barto gave his UNLV soccer team Thursday, it was two words -- "Move on."

Tuesday's disappointing sud den-death 2-1 loss to Seattle Pacific can't be changed. And there are two important matches ahead for the 2-3 Rebels this weekend as they host Kentucky at 7 tonight and Michigan State at noon Sunday, in the 15th Snickers/Fila Rebel Classic at Peter Johann Field.

Fresno State meets Michigan State in tonight's second game at 9. The Bulldogs face Kentucky at 2 p.m. Sunday.

"They need to relax and put the game behind them and move on," Barto said. "Good players are always relaxed and they keep their focus. That's what our guys have to do."

Barto had given most of the team Wednesday off to ponder the difficult and bizarre loss. Thursday, the Rebels regrouped and prepared for a Kentucky team which has started 4-1-1.

"Kentucky's pretty good from what I hear," Barto said. "They've got speed. They like to pressure you all over the field and take you out of your rhythm. It should be a good test for our guys."

The Rebels will be forced to return Mike Griego to the back after stopper Todd Roberts injured his ankle moments before Seattle Pacific won the game on a penalty kick in the second overtime. Roberts is out for the weekend and may miss as many as two weeks.

"Losing Todd is a big blow because he was playing so well," Barto said. "We'll probably play Lasse (Andersen) up front and hope he can get going."

The pleasant surprise has been freshman Jay Hamilton, who has two goals in his last two games. The midfielder from Moore, Okla., scored a pretty goal against Seattle Pacific as he finished off a nice flat cross from Griego with a diving header to tie the game at 1-1 in the 73rd minute.

"I thought Jay would give us some offense but what I like so far is his consistency," Barto said of Hamilton.

Barto said if the Rebels can continue to create chances, the goals will eventually come.

"I spent an hour after the (Seattle Pacific) game trying to figure out what I could have done to help us win," Barto said. "And the more I thought about it, the more I realized it's just a matter of executing.

"We had some great chances in the first half and if we put a couple of those away, it's a different story."