As the 2023 Notre Dame College Cup is on the brink, the Oregon State Beavers men’s soccer team is blindsided by a twist of fate. The Head Coach, Greg Dalby along with Javier Armas, the midfield maestro has been sidelined due to yellow card violations. With this, Beaver’s journey takes an unforeseen detour as they have been left grappling with a pair of suspensions. 

As the soccer team took the field in a match against North Carolina on December 2, Saturday, he added his name to receiving yellow card spree. Followed by the expansion of suspension by the NCAA, the Oregon State officials confirmed this news on December 7, Thursday. 

Oregon State soccer squad suffers joint suspensions

The Beavers have been hit with a double blow that altered the course of their championship aspirations. A crucial component of the team’s midfield, Armas had accumulated a total of eight yellow cards throughout the soccer season. Even though according to traditional rules in soccer, it leads to a one-game suspension.

However, the NCAA took the decision to extend his absences to two games after his participation in the game against North Carolina. In addition to this, Dalby had been handed a four-game suspension that further added a layer of challenge and complexity for Oregon State. 

In his defense, Dalby made a statement in an interview with Portland Tribune stating, “While I am disappointed with the NCAA’s interpretation and assessment of an accounting error, I am proudly the head coach of this program and the responsibility lies with me. At no point in time would I ever put my players, staff or program in jeopardy by knowingly breaking the rules.” Hence, as the soccer coach expressed his disappointment he highlighted the NCAA’s interpretation as a miscalculation. 

Dalby takes accountability for the NCAA decisions

Following Dalby getting sidelined, assistant coaches Sergi Nus and Jarred Brookins stepped into action. They have been assigned split-up duties as a coach for the College Cup semifinal game that took place against Notre Dame on December 8, Friday in Louisville. Even though it was the first time that Dalby was assigned coaching duties for the soccer team, he had been responsible enough to take responsibility for himself.

Read More: VIDEO: Soccer Player Handed a Red Card After Arguing With Referee About Yellow Card

Accepting the occurrence of infractions, the soccer coach emphasized that he would ensure never to knowingly jeopardize the integrity of the program. As the Oregon State soccer team self-reported the violation, this act underscored their commitment to transparency even in the face of dire circumstances. With the team navigating through unexpected hurdles, even after staying away from the soccer field, Daly exudes confidence in his team’s resolve and character. It was John Canzano and Nick Daschel from The Oregonian who reported the investigation and suspension details, adding a layer of complexity to the Beaver’s narrative. 

As the Oregon State’s men’s soccer team navigates its way through the dual suspensions, embracing the challenges, the adaptability of the coaching staff has taken center stage, backed up by the resilience of the players. Despite the setbacks, Beavers are poised to make a statement in the face of hardship, making their way to pursuing victory in the National Championship. 

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