Skyline put another win under the drawstrings of their shorts on Sept. 17 with a 2-1 win over Ohlone College, making their record 5-2-2, but after the game, there was no victory dance, no back flips of joy. In fact, no one seemed pleased at all-except, perhaps, the Ohlone team who was happy to go home.

Skyline started out strong with an early goal and managed to maintain pressure in enemy territory during the first quarter. However, their composure dissipated as time advanced, for the Trojans could not maintain the vigor of their first goal. Before long, the small crowd of spectators watched as the ball merely rolled around the field, and off, in a smorgasbord of wild passes and shots off goal.

Coach Danny Link shouted from the sideline as Skyline struggled to extend their 1-0 lead throughout the first half. Finally they managed one, late in the half with a pass to Daniel Rodriguez who sent it from the far left side over a few heads and ultimately off the diving goalkeeper’s outstretched hand, into the upper right corner of the goal making the score 2-0 at the half.

In the second half, the game appeared to regress from two teams playing soccer to a bunch of guys running around on a windy day. Skyline seemed to lose all composure at this point-Ohlone never had it. Although, there was a glimmer of style on the field when an Ohlone player crossed the ball from the right sideline and one of his teammates put it in the back of the net with a solid header making the score 2-1. Beyond that, time waned in lackluster play.

According to Link, neither team played very well, but this was uncharacteristic behavior for Skyline.

“Our expectations are much higher…we’re just expecting much more,” said Link, who ideally would have liked to “keep possession of the ball, score goals, and defend,” which was simply “three things we did not do.”

Skyline should have played much better considering that they had home field advantage, and as Link put it, “[Ohlone is the] worst team in the conference. We won the game-didn’t even have to show up.” Link did not think much of the opponents’ or his players’ effort.

“This was horrible,” Coach Danny Link said with a bit of disgust after the game. “Where we’ve been the last, four, five, six, seven, eight games to this-all we’ve done is take five steps backwards.”

While Skyline does not have a bad men’s soccer team, as their record testifies, Coach Link indicates that they are much better than they revealed. The team will surly learn from this game and hopefully continue to win in a manner more becoming of their potential.

“We got the win, but…[it was] questionable,” said Link of the final score.