Bobby Martinez – Sports Writer
Owls sophomore Markus Jacobsen, said the transition from the soccer in Oslo, Norway, to the United States of America, hasn’t been easy, but has managed to transition well.
“I think American soccer is more physical,” said Jacobsen. “There are better athletes here [America]. There are players who are a lot stronger and faster than you. But I think playing in Norway and here is pretty much the same.”
Jacobsen in the past weeks has helped out the Owls tremendously on the offensive side of the ball. He played a major role in helping the Owls reach the NE-10 championship game against defending champions Southern New Hampshire University. Jacobsen, in 19 games this season, is tied with junior Daquan King for first in goals with 10.
Almost half of Jacobsen’s goals came in the playoffs where he erupted with three goals against Franklin Pierce University in a 5-0 win in the NE-10 Quarterfinals. In the NE-10 Semifinals against Adelphi University, Jacobsen continued his hot streak recording ninth goal of the season in 2-1 win. In the NE-10 Final against SNHU, Jacobsen scored his 10 goal where he was later named Corvias Offensive Player of the Week.
“The championship,” he said, “the quarterfinals, semifinals, was a good week for me. I scored five goals. It was a good week and getting offensive player of the week, it means something because it proves to me that I worked harder and to finally receive something, it feels good.”
Jacobsen said this entire season has played out very well, especially in the beginning of the season where at one point, the Owls had a 9-0 record heading into their matchup against SNHU.
We caught up w/ @CTNationalGuard /SCSU Male Athlete of the Week Markus Jacobsen after tonight’s NCAA selection show: https://t.co/h0xsTJjExW
— SCSU Athletics (@SCSU_Owls) November 11, 2014
“This entire season,” said Jacobsen, “has been pretty good. We started off the season really good and we worked really hard in the pre-season. We just have been working harder. We have very good team chemistry, and I think we have much better team this year compared to last years.”
Prior to Southern, Jacobsen attended Lambertseter Videre Gaende Skole School in Oslo, Norway. Last year as a freshman, Jacobsen played in all 16 games for the Owls where he started in 12 games. Jacobsen didn’t have a great offensive year in comparison to this season, finishing with two assists and 13 shots on a team that finished 10 – 5 – 1.
Jacobsen, ever since the age of five, has always tried to improve his game in any ways possible. He said any chance he can, he would try to improve his game in order to be the best athlete he can possible be.
“I train almost every day,” he said. “ In order for me to be a better player I think I need to be more efficient with the ball. And run faster with and make quicker decisions with the ball because there’s times where the game tempo gets higher. So those are definitely some things I need to work on.”
Academically, Jacobsen is majoring in economics where he said he is unsure what he specifically wants to do in that field.
But his dream is to one day play professional soccer. But in the meantime, his focus outside of playing for the Owls, is school.
“That’s always been my dream,” he said. “If I was to lay for any club in the world, it would probably be Manchester United because that has been my favorite team since I started playing soccer. I am a very big fan of them.”
Photo Credit: Aaron Johnson
