Bailey Blog: So Far, So Good

This past weekend was a successful one. It is a strange feeling to start the season this well, and not because I didn’t think that we could, but because I have not seen us start this well since I have been here.

Seattle Pacific is one team that I have never beaten, and one opponent that our school has only beaten once. Now obviously with their legendary coach gone this season we knew that things were going to be different. However the bitter taste of last year's overtime loss to these guys was something that we desperately wanted to wash out of our mouths. The game was weird for the first half. We managed to score first and I think we could all smell blood in the water, but after giving away a goal there was a brief sense of "here we go again". After they pretty much gave us a goal back before half time and we went into the break ahead and we knew there was no looking back. We easily could have piled on more goals, but four to one is not a bad way to win.

Western was a different beast all together. We knew that this was really our first test of the season, and just like we had bad history with Seattle Pacific, these guys have bad history with us. They hit the post pretty early on and battled with us for the whole first half, but the heat must have gotten to them. They weren’t as sharp in the second half and we pushed them around to the point that they got into Jack really dirty and found themselves left wanting and having to play with only ten men the rest of the afternoon. It was pretty much academic from that point on, but it didn’t come easy. Our offense looked a little stagnant for the first time all season, but our defense played very well and picked us up.

Our team goal this week was to keep working hard, as we really have not done anything yet, and to focus on the defensive aspect of our game. The team is in a really good place right now; we are working hard and having fun while we do it. This weekend will be another test for us, Notre Dame and Stanislaus will be ready to protect their homes, but we just have to keep taking it one game at a time. Till next time this is Bailey saying good by and I love you Mom.

Andrew Bailey is a two-time All-American and the all-time leading goal scorer in Sonoma State history. He is a senior majoring in Communications.