Barto optimistic about men's team

The 1990s have not been kind to the UNLV men's soccer program. While longtime coach Barry Barto is well aware his team has had five straight losing seasons, he remains confident things will take a turn for the better in 1998.

He truly is optimistic. After all, he doesn't know who his goalkeeper's going to be. Nor is he sure who he can count on to put the ball in the net. But other than those two critical elements remaining a mystery, everything's fine at Peter Johann Field.

"We don't have a Robbie Ryerson, a Doug Borgel, a Danny Barber -- a guy who can carry us," Barto said, invoking past UNLV stars. "But I think we have a lot of good players who collectively, if they work well together, can be a good team. We have a lot of depth.

"The key position is goalkeeper. We have three (Ryan Bledsoe, Russell Miller and Robert Ackah) and one of them is going to have to step forward and do the job for us."

The Rebels scored just 28 goals last year en route to a 5-11-2 season. Getting some consistent scoring is going to be the other major challenge for Barto, whose team begins training next Wednesday and opens its '98 season Sept. 4 at home against Sacramento State.

He might be tempted to play senior Mike Griego up front. He's the team's leading returning scorer. But Griego also can play defense. And with the team's goalie situation unsettled, Griego may be more valuable in the back.

"Initially, I might have him in the back and try to move him forward in certain situations," Barto said. "It's still up in the air right now."

Barto hopes sophomore midfielder Jay Hamilton can pick up the slack for the departed Daniel Schloss, who has left the program and taken his team-high 10 goals with him. The 5-foot-9 Hamilton had two goals and six points last year, but showed a knack for being around the goal.

He's also hoping newcomers Tyler Turchi, who was the Arkansas State Player of the Year; Andrew Hooker from Victoria, B.C., a member of the Canadian National Under-17 squad; and Jacob Adams, who played at St. Louis University before transferring to UNLV, can provide some offense.

But ultimately, it will be up to the veterans to keep things together. UNLV has a very sound defense and a competitive midfield. In T'Jon Akins, Kiko Medina and Todd Roberts, Barto has a trio of solid, reliable fullbacks. Throw Griego into the mix as well as Hooker's twin brother Benjamin, and it's a formidable back line.

They're so good, Barto's son Geoff, a mainstay at left back, may find himself in midfield. The junior Barto is an exceptional passer who can deliver the ball to the forwards from virtually anywhere on the field.

Sophomore Tony Tapia started 17 games last year and got better as the season progressed. He is in the midfield mix as is B.J. McNichol, the junior from Utah who was hampered by injuries and took just 10 shots last year.

Ultimately, UNLV's success may be its ability to win the close ones. The Rebels dropped six games by one goal, including two in overtime.

"No question, we've got to find a way to pull those games out," Barto said.

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