By Mikael DeSanto
Sports Assignment Editor
The St. Bonaventure University men’s soccer team played at home last weekend, losing to the Robert Morris Colonials 1-0 on an own goal. The loss brought the team’s record to 0-4-1, making them tied for last in the Atlantic 10 with the University of Massachusetts Minutemen.
The team started off showing improvement from its match, playing a high pressured first half to keep the game tied. However, it allowed Robert Morris to take over the game in the second half, which led to the own goal.
“It has become a mental blockage for us as we enter the second half,” Head Coach Kwame Oduro said. “We just need to get through that hump mentally.”
Senior midfielder Eddie Keen, who was named one of the team captains before the season, echoed Oduro’s thoughts on the mental side of the issues, but kept a positive attitude about it.
“Maybe it is just [that] we need to switch on a little bit sharper mentally,” Keen said. “We know how important that time is and maybe there is a little bit of nerves or something, but it is okay it is happening now. I’m sure by the time we get later into the season and we hit conference we will be over that.”
Freshman forward Jacob Dyck, who made his first career start against Robert Morris, said the team’s issues have been more about the players believing in themselves.
“It hasn’t been a lack of energy, we just need confidence and a big win to boost our morale and get back to our normal ways,” Dyck said.
Dyck said they could accomplish the goal of getting that big win by playing a team game and not dwelling on their losses.
“Keeping our sprits high, staying motivated and keep talking as a team; staying together,” Dyck said of maintaining their goals.
Oduro said being able to stay with the pace of the other team is a necessary factor for the team to play in the style he wants them to.
“Pressuring our opponents has been our motto all season,” Oduro said. “We feel that is always important to our game plan.”
But the team is not locked into a specific approach, according to Keen, so even though they may not have had success against past opponents, they are still capable of winning.
“We change everything for every team,” Keen said. “We have what we do best, but we also know what other teams do well. Coach [Oduro] is very good at getting that organized and finding out what we need to do.”
Though he is new to the team, Dyck knows what he needs to do to help the whole team play with energy.
“For me, my role in energy is every time I step on the pitch I have to go full out and try to get our team a win,” Dyck said.
But Dyck does not stand alone in his need to bring energy to the team, as Oduro said there is not any specific player that holds the responsibility, but rather it falls on the whole team.
“We need all our players to be energetic when they step on the field,” Oduro said.
Keen said the more experienced players, like him, need to take charge and bring the team forward through their play.
“[We] have to look at ourselves, the seniors and the captains,” Keen said. “Maybe if we haven’t been getting the results, that could be down to us, rather than the young lads. We have been here for four years, the juniors have been here for three years, so you can’t pin anything on the freshmen.”
Oduro said that aside from energy, the players being on the same page during the game is a necessity to having a successful performance.
“The game of soccer requires players to pass on information in the heat of competition,” Oduro said. “When players do not communicate, it causes lack of focus and that lack of focus can cause mistakes.”
The Bonnies will travel to Canisius to play the Golden Griffins tonight at 7 p.m., and then will play the Niagara Purple Eagles on Sept. 18 at 3 p.m.
desantmj13@bonaventure.edu
