Matt Hess

Steve Virgen

Time doesn’t stand still for Matt Hess in his pursuit to score yet

another goal for the Vanguard University men’s soccer team. There’s

no exact science to his scoring. He’s a pure scorer, able to find the

net when least expected and able to bring confidence to the Lions,

who know they can score because of him.

Hess’s goal scoring is really quite simple, though his talent and

his pension for scoring goals is like an art form.

“I just think I’m more relaxed (than last season),” said Hess, who

has scored 13 goals, including three hat tricks in September. “Last

year I was a freshman and there were a lot of good players. I wasn’t

supposed to be the scorer. As the season went through I ended up

scoring goals. I was expected this year to score more goals. My

teammates recognized that and they have put me in good situations to

score.”

Hess also said, one must have the desire to score in order to put

the ball into the back of the net. After all, desire has worked for

Hess. After he starred at Valley Christian High, he didn’t play

soccer and decided to get a head start on general education courses

at Cypress College. Throughout the year off, he fueled his motivation

to play again by keeping an eye on several NAIA schools. He also

played club soccer in the meantime.

Hess knew he wanted to play for Vanguard because his friend and

former high school teammate, Rick Wade, is on the Lions’ squad and

because of former Vanguard Coach Dave McLeish.

Now that Hess is at Vanguard, everything has seemed to fall in

place. The Lions endured a losing season last year, but there was a

youth movement and hope for the future. This season, Vanguard has

been rejuvenated by first-year coach Randy Dodge, and the Lions have

also benefited from Hess’ continued maturity.

“He brings a calming presence to our team,” Dodge said of Hess.

“(The Lions) know they’re going to get a goal from him. He has 13

goals and two assists, so far. He’s very humble. He just does his job

and that’s what he’s supposed to do. He doesn’t do anything more or

anything less. He’s got good speed, and he has good touch in tight

spaces. He’s a goal scorer. I expect him to be the leading scorer in

(the Golden State Athletic Conference). There’s no doubt that he’s

capable of that.”

Hess, the Daily Pilot College Athlete of the Month for September,

has scored 28 goals in his 27 games at Vanguard. Last year, he led

Vanguard with 15 goals and was named to the All-GSAC, All-Region II,

and the NAIA All-America Honorable Mention teams. And, that was when

he was just trying to find his place on a rebuilding squad. But, the

Lions (4-6) are a different team this year.

“I think we’re going to surprise some schools this year (in the

GSAC),” Hess said. “They’re going to look at our roster and see we

have nine freshman. But (the Lions are) going to gain experience.

Hopefully, we’ll be in the top three by the end of the season.”

Hess also said he wants to score 20 goals this season. And, since

he was second in the GSAC in goals scored last year, this year he

wants to be No 1. If he is he will most likely be honored as the

GSAC’s Player of the Year. Already, he has earned two GSAC Player of

the Week honors and one NAIA Region II Player of the Week award.

The GSAC Player of the Week laurels came in successive weeks, the

latter also including the NAIA Region II recognition. That week

(Sept. 16-21), Hess scored seven goals in three games and he recorded

his second and third hat tricks of the season. He paced the Lions in

a 7-0 win over Cal Tech, scoring three goals. Then he went for

another hat trick in dramatic fashion in a 3-2 win in overtime over

Pacific Lutheran on Sept. 21. It was the Lions’ first home victory of

the season.

In overtime, Nate Kramer assisted to Hess before the Pacific

Lutheran goalie could intercept and Hess headed it into the net for

the game-winner.

Hess also had a game-winner in a 1-0 overtime win over Claremont

College Sept. 14. Just 13 seconds into the overtime, Hess found the

net with a shot to the lower left side of the goal after beating the

Claremont goalie one-on-one. At the start of overtime, Claremont

controlled the ball and brought it back onto their side of the field.

Hess stole the ball, charged down the field, relaxed and gave the

Lions the victory with the goal.