Jason Walker, UP Sports Information Director 

Great Falls, Mont. - When Saturday's Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) match kicks off in Billings, it will have been 19 days since the University of Providence Men's soccer team stepped onto the pitch in a meaningful way. Outside of the lone 2-1 loss to Carroll College in a friendly August 30th, the Argos have had nothing but practice. That can be a blessing and a curse as the team is tired of facing each other but also has been using that opportunity to get better and gel under first-year coach Will Hander. That all changes Saturday when the Argos travel to Billings to face Rocky Mountain College.  

Practices can be boring and repetitive but compared to that one match against Carroll which saw a total of nine yellow cards, matches are more fun for players. Hander preaches togetherness and is no stranger to the CCC after having coached previously at Bushnell before moving to Great Falls. He has brought in a good mix of newcomers to join a solid core of returning veterans. While the Argos have just one counter on the schedule, Rocky has played three scrimmages/exhibitions and has gotten in four counting matches and stands at 2-1-1 overall, including a 7-1 win over McPherson two weeks ago.  

While the focus is certainly on winning, Providence is also focused more on itself than the Battlin' Bears. Hander says the guys cannot wait to see where they stand, ""We are excited to get back on the pitch and play a game. The guys have been training well and are motivated to play again. Rocky is always tough to play, especially at home so looking forward to seeing how we fair against a quality team." 

Saturday's match starts at 3:30 pm in the Magic City. To follow along with live stats and to watch, visit www.upargos.com.