Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003 | 9:45 a.m.
Preseason poll
1. New Mexico
2. San Jose State
3. UNLV
4. Sacramento State
5. Denver
6. Air Force
7. San Diego State
Aug. 30 at Washington -- L, 5-1
Sept. 1 at Portland -- L, 2-0
Sept. 5 Wisconsin -- L, 3-2
Sept. 7 Davidson -- L,3-1
Sept. 12 at Creighton -- W, 2-0
Sept. 14 at SW Mo. State -- W, 3-2
Friday Drake
Sunday Bowling Green
Sept. 26 Cal State Northridge
Sept. 28 Gonzaga
Oct. 5 at UC Riverside
Oct. 18 at New Mexico
Oct. 20 San Diego State
Oct. 23 San Jose State
Oct. 26 Sacramento State
Oct. 30 at Denver
Nov. 2 at Air Force
Nov. 13 at MPSF Tournament
Note: Home games played at Peter Johann Field on campus
Joking threats aside, the UNLV men's soccer team hadn't had much to laugh about leading up to this weekend's trip to Omaha.
The men's soccer team suffered through a rough 0-4 start, prompting coaches to joke about a high dive off the Stratosphere last week.
Perhaps the Rebels soccer team took their coaches seriously. UNLV beat 12th ranked Creighton on their home turf 2-0 Friday, then defeated Southwest Missouri State 3-2 to win the Ameritas Classic.
UNLV coach Barry Barto, in his 22nd year with the program, said last week his focus was trying to find the right lineup to overcome the early season slump.
"There's a lot that we can do (to improve)," said Barto. "We're reviewing video, we're going back to the basics. I don't know that teams are beating us as much as we're beating ourselves. We're trying to address that every day. You just take it one game at a time and constantly look for room to improve."
Alex Hernandez, an all-conference midfielder in 2002, said he couldn't put his finger on what the team was missing this year.
"I think it'll be one of those things where we play a really good team, step it up, and win. We played really good teams, but it was so early in our season that we just couldn't get it together," said Hernandez. "I think that it's going to take one of those games where we just come out and play and from there on out we'll start playing a lot better, because we have all the potential in the world to be really good."
That game appeared to be the one against Creighton. Hernandez had one of UNLV's two goals, followed by a two-goal performance against Southwest Missouri State Sunday. He was named the tournament MVP.
On Tuesday, Hernandez was named MPSF Brine men's soccer co-player of the week. He shared the weekly honor with Denver's Kyle Christensen.
Hernandez leads the team with five goals and 11 points.
In Friday's Creighton game, Hernandez's goal was assisted by Boomer Arbelaez, the son of local coaching legend Victor Arbelaez.
Arbelaez, in his second year with UNLV after transferring from San Francisco, felt it was important to express leadership amongst his younger teammates.
"I try and push myself all the time. I try and be a leader and try and pick up my teammates as well," he said. "You try to pick everybody up. You show them you want (to win), and they start to come along."
The Rebels play in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation -- the Mountain West does not sponsor men's soccer -- and were picked by MPSF coaches to finish third in the conference. Barto said he thinks that that goal is still realistic, despite the 0-4 start.
"I felt we competed the last two games. The first two, we struggled through, with Washington and Portland. But the last two, we competed, and we had our opportunities to win games," he explained. "Knowing the schedule would be very difficult on the front end, I wouldn't expect to be 0-4, but it happens. I have a lot of confidence in this group, they're hard working, and I feel we'll be fine."
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