On The Pitch With Ty Harden
October 20, 2005 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 20, 2005
One of the main reasons for the Husky men's soccer team's success this past weekend in the Bay Area was the play of junior defender Ty Harden. Under his leadership, UW didn't allow a goal in its pair of 1-0 wins against Cal and Stanford. For his efforts, Harden was named to two different national teams of the week. Between soccer practice and midterms, the business major has been keeping plenty busy, but he still found some time to talk with GoHuskies.com reporter CJ Bowles. They talked about this weekend's games also against Cal and Stanford, the team's play halfway through the Pac-10 season and Washington's home field advantage at Husky Soccer Field.
GoHuskies.com: You were named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week as well as the Soccer America Team of the Week for your play against Cal and Stanford last weekend. How does being recognized like that for the first time feel?
Ty Harden: "It's cool. It's good to get recognition because it brings attention to not just me, but the entire team. Everyone is looking at us now. Last year we had a bunch of guys who made first, second, third team and it made the whole country aware of our program and our team."
GH: Do they carry the same amount of value to you or is one more important than the other?
TH: "I think the Soccer America one is a little bit bigger and well known, but they're both cool."
GH: Do you ever look at those teams to gauge the talent level on other teams?
TH: "Not really. Guys know a lot of other guys from around the country from youth soccer, club soccer, ODP and stuff like that. So everyone is always kind of keeping an eye out that way and most of us know the best players from other teams already."
GH: "Going into this weekend, the team has posted three consecutive shutouts including a blanking of Cal, the team that leads the Pac-10 in scoring average per game. How does that feel?
TH: "It feels good. (Matt) Fischer and I are finally starting to get the understanding of each other where we don't have to say anything. We just know where the other one is. And with Chris (Eylander) in the back too, he made a couple of great saves to preserve the shutouts. So we have a good thing going between the three of us."
GH: The team has now played through half of the Pac-10 season. How would you rate its performance so far?
TH: "We've played great. This is the best UW team I've ever seen play by far - the back, the midfield, up top, everywhere. We lost and tied our first two games, but we've dominated all season long. We're just not getting that finishing touch. So we're all really excited and positive for every game."
GH: What should fans look forward to from this team the rest of the way?
TH: "We should keep defending well and the goals will come, it's only a matter of time. I think the ball will start going into the back of the net and I think you might see some big wins."
GH: What area would you like to see this team improve on during the remainder of the season?
TH: "We have to improve on defending. I mean, you can always get better there. It's the backbone of our team and teams win National Championships when they keep putting up zeros."
GH: As a defender, do you take more pride than some of the other players when the other team doesn't score.
TH: "We definitely take pride in a shutout. Every time we come out, that's what we want."
GH: With Cal and Stanford coming to Husky Soccer Field this weekend, is there extra confidence for you guys considering you beat both of those teams last weekend at their home fields?
TH: "It is definitely a big confidence thing. We've seen what they have to offer and we know that we shut both of them out last weekend. Their forwards didn't get very many opportunities at all and that's a huge confidence boost for me and Fischer."
GH: Do you feel like the team has a home field advantage at Husky Soccer Field?
TH: "We love playing here. The crowds have been great this year, so that always helps and they've been getting into the games more than ever before. They're acting like real soccer fans instead of people who just watch soccer. It's been fun."
GH: You have started every game in the past two and a half seasons except for the first three this year because of a hamstring injury. How hard was it for you to sit out those games?
TH: "That was really tough. We lost the third game and knowing that I could have made a difference was hard. It also tossed our team around in the back with people playing where they're not used to. We all love to play and anytime you have to sit around and watch your team go through that without you, it's hard."
GH: Did sitting out those games make you more motivated to go all-out when you were able to play?
TH: "Sometimes when you're playing and not hurt, you get into a grind and it seems like an everyday thing. Coming off an injury you realize what you have and how lucky you are. I love soccer and I want to play everyday, so sitting out was hard. It was a nice reminder."
GH: Head Coach Dean Wurzburger has been switching up both of the back wings in recent games. Is there a reason he has been switching it up?
TH: "Right now we're trying to keep everyone fresh and keep the competition up on the team. It's always better when people are working for a spot."
