Yavapai at AWC soccer preview

(1)Yavapai at Arizona Western

Match up: 4 p.m. today.

Last game: AWC dropped its first game of the season in a 4-3 loss to Scottsdale Wednesday. The Roughriders enter the game following a 4-0 win at Paradise Valley C.C.

Records: AWC (4-1 overall, 2-1 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference); Yavapai (5-0, 3-0 ACCAC)

Player to watch: Matadors sophomore Abdel Becerra scored his team-leading fifth goal on Wednesday. ... Roughriders attacker Justin Meram has scored seven goals this season.

AWC coach Kenny Dale's comments: "We usually match up pretty well with Yavapai because they try to play a similar game and they've had a hard time with us in the past. We may make some tactical adjustments to prevent leaving so much pressure on our back four, and we'll need our players to adjust to playing a different style against a different opponent. Some of our new players have been playing soccer the same way their whole lives, and it can be difficult to understand subtle tactical adjustments."

The lowdown: Getting motivated for today's game will not be a problem for the Matadors, who have had this game circled since the start of the year. AWC is also dealing with a bit of disappointment following Wednesday's loss when their game-tying goal was taken away for offsides and later shown on video to be a wrong call. AWC may have also lost defender Jesus Servin for the season in that game to a leg injury. Yavapai has posted three shutouts early on this year and outscored its opponents 39-2, but the Matadors will be their toughest test to-date. Former Yuma High Criminal Michael Espinoza is a freshman on the Roughriders squad. Yavapai won both meetings last year, including a 3-0 game at AWC.

|— Rob Weiler