UCSB intramural soccer’s best players will compete for a chance to display their skills in the limelight tonight at 6 p.m. at the Rec Cen field, as the first annual IM World Cup Soccer Tournament will showcase two of the best teams from this season’s A League in the championship match. Also on the line, men’s soccer Head Coach Tim Vom Steeg has said he will offer an opportunity for the best player he observes from either team to walk on and try out for UCSB next year.
In the last night’s quarterfinals, team Brazil and team Germany both shut out their opponents in order to advance to the final World Cup mock-round tonight. With goals from junior Finn Michaelson and sophomore Aaron Wessel, Brazil was able to hold off opposing team Mexico, while goals from senior Francisco Dittborn and senior Dave Bason were enough for team Germany to capitalize on team United States’ multiple missed scoring opportunities.
“Our trouble all season was scoring goals,” Germany team captain Fergal Madigan said. “But once we made it two-nil early on, it was a lot of ground to cover for the other team.”
Both games saw their share of physical play, especially in the match between Germany and the United States. Late in the match, Dittborn rolled his left ankle and had to be carted off the field on a stretcher while play resumed without him.
“The games were very physical,” co-organizer senior Jesse Gardeman said. “I think the teams enjoyed it. … Hopefully we can get more teams involved next year.”
Organized by sports management interns Gardeman and senior Clemens Roosen, under the encouragement of exercise & sports studies professor Al Ferrer, the event was originally designed for 16 teams, but only four were taken in the weeks approaching the event.
“Our goal is going to be to repeat this every year,” Roosen said. “Next year we’d like to contact the teams earlier since we only had four weeks to prepare the event. Our aim will be to make it big every year, maybe eight or even 16 teams if we can.”
Tonight, Vom Steeg will attend the final round, as soccer enthusiasts are encouraged to root on their favorite team while raffle prizes will be offered to fans from Woodstock’s and Jamba Juice, among many others.