Jack West’s breakout season carrying men’s soccer offense

| Sports Editor

It took two long years, but junior midfielder Jack West felt the relief wash over him when his penalty kick for the Washington University men’s soccer team ended up in the back of the net in an early September game against Greenville College.

West had notched his first career goal as a Bear, and a second West penalty kick goal provided all the offense in a 2-0 Wash. U. victory.

Junior midfielder Jack West crosses the ball against Pricipia College on Thursday night at Francis Field. West scored two goals to lead the Bears to a 4-0 victory, giving him a team-high seven on the season.Brian Benton | Student Life

Junior midfielder Jack West crosses the ball against Pricipia College on Thursday night at Francis Field. West scored two goals to lead the Bears to a 4-0 victory, giving him a team-high seven on the season.

West had several chances to score in his first season, when he played in 11 games and put seven out of his 11 total shots on goal, but none got past the goalkeeper. West would almost certainly have broken through in his sophomore season, as another year of experience suggested he would be a fixture in a young offense last year. Unfortunately, in the last game of the preseason, West injured his big toe, which required surgery and ended his season before it could even begin.

“We were really looking forward to his play last year,” head coach Joe Clarke said. “It was unfortunate to lose him.”

While West’s teammates played on without him, he focused on rehabilitation. This preseason, West was given an important role as a center forward or attacking midfielder, and the positioning has paid off for the Red and Green. West’s team-leading seven goals have carried an offense that has scored just 17 goals in 14 games, with senior midfielder Jonathan Lipsey being the only other player with more than one goal this season.

“He’s an attacker, and we try to get him the ball in certain situations,” Clarke said. “He’s good at finding openings…He’s pretty tactical in his thinking, and he’s aware of where space is. He waits patiently for the ball to show up.”

As the Bears’ default go-to attacker, West has taken 48 shots, more than the next three highest players combined.

“I’m fortunate to have two really good center midfielders [sophomore Grant Baltes and Lipsey] playing behind me. They’re both very good attacking and creative players. They create chances for me higher up the field with less defenders in the way,” West said.

West has also become one of the team’s penalty kick aces, having notched three of his goals off penalties in four overall attempts.

“Once I start scoring goals, I get that confidence up,” West said. “Penalties are all about confidence; it’s not much about skill. It’s just a mental game with the goalie.”

Either Lipsey or West is usually tasked with taking penalty kicks. West said that because penalties are more about confidence than anything else, the decision about who takes the kick is relatively easy.

“When Lipsey’s playing well, he’ll take them; when I’m playing well, I’ll take them,” West said. “Either way, if the ball goes into the back of the net, I don’t really care.”

Although West has provided the playmaking punch, Wash. U. has stumbled to a 7-5-2 overall record, with a last-place 0-3-1 conference mark. The Bears need to protect their home turf in remaining games against No. 3 Brandeis University, New York University and the University of Chicago to have a shot at the postseason.

“We have confidence in the way we’ve played,” West said. “We’ve been in every one of the games we’ve played. We haven’t been dominated in a single game…We have a chance to prove ourselves as one of the top teams.”

To achieve this goal, the Red and Green will have to conjure up a little home cooking. At Francis Field, Wash. U. has won four out of six games, with its losses coming in tight battles against ranked opponents Wheaton College and Emory University.

“There’s nothing like playing at home,” West said. “You’re comfortable, you get to sleep in your own bed…you get time for more preparation and practice, you don’t have to deal with jet lag, and a lot of parents come down to support the team.”

West’s parents are usually able to catch his home games by driving from their home in Illinois, but before college, West lived all over the country.

Born in Memphis, Tenn., and living all around the Midwest and East Coast, West finally landed in Wentzville, Mo., about 40 miles northwest of St. Louis. His constantly shifting background has played a role in his successes in soccer, which he started playing when he was about four years old.

“It was a little tough going from team to team while moving around, but it was also beneficial because different regions in the United States have different styles of play,” West said. “In the Midwest, it’s a little more physical and athletic-based. In the South, it’s more technical with quicker speed of play. It’s good to get that blend.”

With his unique soccer experience, West has had no trouble impressing Clarke, who expressed confidence in West for the rest of this season and beyond.

“There are a lot more goals in him, and I don’t know whether they’re all going to come this year,” Clarke said. “The way the team is coming together, I know he can be a guy who scores and sets up a lot of goals.”

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