By Mikael DeSanto
Sports Assignment Editor
The St. Bonaventure University men’s soccer team, currently 1-8-2 on the season and 0-1-1 in conference play, has struggled to keep opponents’ shot totals down, leading to them surrendering more goals and applying more pressure to the team’s goalkeeper tandem of sophomore Luke Iacobellis and redshirt-freshman Alex Olday.
Head coach Kwame Oduro, said that issues with goals should not solely be on the shoulders of Iacobellis and Olday.
“Our goalkeepers have had some really good performances,” Oduro said. “When we concede goals it is not only their fault, it is usually a breakdown from somewhere higher up the field.”
Olday echoed his coach’s thoughts about the shot issues and pinpointed where he sees the issues starting.
“I feel like our defense is doing well, we’re just not holding the ball in the offensive zone as long as other teams are,” Olday said. “We are rushing our chances and that is causing the other team to have the most possession in our end. We are a good team, we just need to utilize our strengths instead of trying to do something we are not good at, and that is play quickly.”
Iacobellis agreed that the defensive play has not been the real problem during games, and said that they have actually been limiting shots more this year than last year. Through the first 11 games this season, the Bonnies allowed 22 goals and 84 shots on goal.
“Last year there [were] a lot more goals [33 through 11 games],” Iacobellis said. “They have actually been doing really well the last five [or] six games, as we’ve only been losing games by one or two goals.”
Olday has posted a 1.27 goals-against-average, surrendering five goals and making 18 saves through about 353 minutes in four games, all of which he has started. Oduro said Olday has shown potential but reiterated his need for progression.
“He has provided some moments of brilliance in our games,” Oduro said. “He is also improving and growing as a player each game.”
While the team has struggled to win, he holds on to the things he has already proved to himself and knows what he can do, Olday said.
“I’m very confident with my abilities in net because I’ve been playing the position for so long,” Olday said. “My success in the past gives me the confidence that I will succeed in the future.”
Olday said when he is on the field, the team’s success begins with him and it is his job to set the example for it.
“If I can play well in the goal, then that will help my team play well and do their job in the field,” Olday said. “If enough people can do their job, then we will be successful.”
Iacobellis, who has started a majority of the games, holds a 2.26 goals-against-average with 17 goals allowed and 44 saves in eight games and almost 677 minutes played. He said his performance in his second season as a Bonnie has allowed him to progress from his first.
“I have a lot more confidence than last year, I think because I have a greater role this year,” Iacobellis said. “I’m expected to do more this year, so I think when people put more pressure on me, I gain more confidence. It’s my job to do whatever it takes to win the team games.”
Despite the number of shots he sees per game and the saves he must make, Iacobellis said the pressure doesn’t faze him at all.
“It doesn’t make my body tired or hurt,” Iacobellis said. “It doesn’t matter how many shots; my body, [my] hands, nothing gets weak, I don’t feel tired.”
“Right now, there is nothing that can hurt our team. We can only go up from where we are now,” Oduro said. “We make decisions on what we see at our training sessions and the opponent we are playing.”
The Bonnies will next play Saturday at Davidson at 3 p.m. This will mark the team’s first away conference match of the season.
desantmj13@bonaventure.edu
