The final push toward WAC tournaments

With the UTRGV volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer teams in the end of Western Athletic Conference play, the head coaches are expressing hope and frustration.

The volleyball team has an overall 11-6 record and a WAC record of 3-1. Head coach Todd Lowery told The Rider he is happy with the record but believes the team could have a better one. 

Lowery said the team learned more about itself by losing than it would have by winning at the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, where the Vaqueras lost to the University of Maryland Baltimore County (3-2) and  Texas Christian University (3-0) Sept. 2 and to Nicholls State University (3-2) Sept. 3. 

“I mean, on the books, it looks like a terrible weekend for us to go 0-3, but I felt we learned more about ourselves that weekend losing those two five-set matches … than we did at any other point in the season,” he said.

The team has gone 9-3 since its weekend at the Cowtown Classic and is looking to build on a three-game win streak in WAC play.

“The girls are just finding a way to get it done,” Lowery said. “They’re finding out, like, the intensity that they have to play with, point in and point out, in order to win matches.”

In past interviews, Lowery said he aims to work on the team culture.

“This team is just fun,” Lowery said. “I wake up excited to go into the gym every day and when that happens, you know, the culture is right. … Even long bus trips, like, we just don’t dread those types of things. … The girls are just all bought in. They have fun on the road, they have fun in the bus and they support each other, of course.” 

The Vaqueras have 10 games left this season, including eight conference games. UTRGV is tied for second place in the WAC Southwest Division with Stephen F. Austin State University (3-1), which handed UTRGV its only loss in conference play. 

Lowery said his team has proved to be resilient on the road amid opposing crowds. 

“If anything, it seems to kind of fire them up a little bit,” he said. 

UTRGV played against conference opponent Sam Houston State University (3-0) last Saturday in the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg. Results were not available at press time. 

After Sam Houston, UTRGV will be on the road for its next six games and will end the season with three home games before the start of the WAC tournament. 

Men’s Soccer 

The UTRGV Men’s Soccer Team is 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the WAC.

Head coach Bryheem Hancock told The Rider the team has had a tough and strong schedule this season.

“Something that [you want for your] players [is] you want them to play meaningful games, not just doing games that you go into knowing that you don’t have to concentrate [and] focus energy,” Hancock said.  

The team faced two ranked opponents this season, No. 13 Florida International University (7-1-2) and No. 17 Grand Canyon University (10-1). 

After losing 4-2 and 5-1, respectively, Hancock said the score line was not indicative of how the game went. He said UTRGV kept control of possession, had many shots on goal and chances created. 

With only six games left in the season, he said there is still a lot of soccer left to play and is ready to finally compete at home since the bulk of their season has been on the road.

“It’s always good just to be in front of your crowd,” Hancock said. “I can’t wait to be in front of students again, I know our guys can’t. They go with them every day to classes but now to be able to have them watch and give us that extra energy and it just gives you confidence.” 

He said the message he is instilling in his team this year is to play together, play for each other and bring intensity to each practice and game. 

Giving more team members a chance to play this season has helped the Vaqueros be more prepared, Hancock said. He also hopes the experience for the younger players will come in handy for the last stretch of the season.  

The Vaqueros’ played last Saturday against WAC opponent Houston Baptist University (0-5) at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Results were not available at press time.

The team will play at home for the next two matches and then will play the last three on the road before the WAC tournament. 

“Our focus is making sure that we can finish as high as possible in the WAC, looking to try to get that bye for the conference tournament,” Hancock said.

Women’s Soccer 

With an overall record of 5-9-1 and a WAC record of 1-4, the UTRGV Women’s Soccer Team has had a “frustrating” season, according to head coach Glad Bugariu.

“It’s a team that’s used to winning, you know. We’ve got five winning seasons in a row up to this point,” Bugariu said. “So, you know, not being in a position where we’re guaranteed a winning season is difficult, but we’re making the best of the situation and trying to recover.” 

After winning its WAC opener 1-0 against Chicago State University (0-5), the Vaqueras have gone on a four-game losing streak in conference play. 

“Unfortunately, this year hasn’t really gone our way in many ways,” Bugariu said. “We’ve been close every game, we’ve had chances to win every game but we’ve come on the wrong end of things. So, you know, it’s obviously frustrating. But again, we’re working to try to get into the playoffs.” 

In a season preview by The Rider, the head coach said he wanted the team to improve its 2-4-2 home record from last season, to make sure the home field was a “fortress” and keep a strong away record, which was 8-2 last season. 

“I think we’re 4-2-1 at home, which is acceptable, and our away record’s very poor compared to last year,” Bugariu said. “So, now, we’ve kind of gone the other way a little bit too much. You know, we still have three home games left and then, really, I think those home games will be crucial in determining who can get in the playoffs or not. So, hopefully, we’ll be a fortress at that time.” 

The team is in fifth place in the WAC Southwest Division, with its next game against Stephen F. Austin State University, which sits at the top of the hill with a perfect 5-0 conference record this Friday. 

After SFA, the team will play three of the last four games at home and hopes to secure a spot in the WAC tournament. 

“We have to continue to try to play well,” Bugariu said. “I think we played pretty well, I just don’t think we’ve put together a 90-minute performance. I think this weekend coming up, if we can get one result, I think it’ll put us in a position to make a final push there, and then give us a pretty good chance. I think the league itself, for the third spot, is quite close and we play all our direct opponents for that spot over the next couple of weeks.”