In any sport, for any team, conference play determines a season. For the men’s soccer team (6–6–2) these next few weeks will be what is remembered for 2011. On Friday, October 28, and Sunday, October 30, the Maroons take on conference rivals Case Western (12–3) and Rochester (8–3–2).

The Maroons started conference play 0–3. After bouncing back with wins against Concordia Chicago and Whitewater in non-conference games, however, they are looking to get back on track.

“We have struggled in the UAA so far, and we feel very hard done by it. We have a lot to prove and are motivated to do so. If we win these two, we may give ourselves a chance at the tournament going into our finale against Wash U,” mid-fielder Stanton Coville said.

With only three games left in the UAA, and the season, the Maroons are determined to finish on a high note. After beginning the season 7–1–1, the Maroons lost their momentum, at one point enduring a difficult five-game losing streak in which every game was decided by a single goal. Their biggest issue has been the little things.

“We just have to work on simple discipline and making sure we don’t make the mistakes that have plagued our previous UAA games and lost games for us. We’re confident we play good enough soccer to beat Case and Rochester; we just have to eliminate the major mistakes and stay disciplined,” Coville said.

For the fourth-years these next games will close their legacy at Chicago, and that legacy is one they want the team to be able to build off of for the future.

“As seniors, we just have a lot of pride in how we leave things, and so far we have underachieved. Both are equally important simply because we aren’t willing to leave on a disappointing note,” Coville said.