By Zach Waltz
Assistant Sports Editor
The men’s soccer team started off its season with back-to-back 3-1 wins against Buffalo and Niagara, making this the first time since the 2009 season that the Bonnies have defeated both teams.
Junior midfielder/defender Steve Carcaterro said that the game against Buffalo in particular was very important to the team.
“I think everyone’s always excited for the first game of season, especially since we had UB coming in on the first day,” Carcaterro said. “They’re one of our local rivals, and we always want to start the season off with a win.”
The Bonnies’ three goals in the Buffalo game were netted by senior defender Brad Beaumont, senior defender Nicholas Perillo and senior midfielder/forward Emmett O’Connor. Perillo and O’Connor provided both assists on the day. The goal scorers against Niagara were Perillo, Carcaterro, and senior defender Kolby Banker. O’Connor had another assist while senior midfielder Brad Vanino had two.
Beaumont noted starting the season with some wins gave the team a lot of confidence and drive.
“Winning the first two games of the season this year have been huge for us,” Beaumont said. “It’s definitely a momentum builder. With us being a more experienced team with a lot of returning players, we knew that we needed to start strong and keep on improving.”
The Bonnies will compete at the Duquesne Invitational, where they will play against Howard University and the University of the Incarnate Word.
Beaumont says the team will approach the invitational just like any other game.
“Like every game, tournament and scrimmage, we are always looking to win games,” Beaumont said. “We play one game at a time and compete to our fullest.”
Junior goalkeeper Bobby Diaz said another key game for the team is its Atlantic 10 opener against St. Joseph’s.
“We are all looking forward to our Philadelphia trip against St. Joe’s, which kicks off our A-10 season as we look to set a tone for making the post-season,” Diaz said.
Senior forward Kaine Moar agreed the St. Joe’s game is a match up the Bonnies have marked on their calendar.
“I think the St. Joe’s game will be key because that will determine how well we do in the conference and if we end up making the tournament,” Moar said.
However, Beaumont said the team prepares for all games the same way, even though he believes non-A-10 games have less pressure.
“We try and treat every game the same,” Beaumont said. “The non-conference games are less pressure since we use it as a way to build team chemistry and to establish our strengths before we try and put a stamp on the A-10s.”
Diaz added the team’s main focus is making the playoffs this season, emphasizing that the Bonnies’ A-10 schedule will be crucial.
“We all really think that we can make an unexpected splash in the Atlantic 10 this year,” Diaz said. “We hope to make an impression early in the conference season to make our goal that much more possible. We, as a team, will see not making the playoffs simply as a failure.”
