This weekend kicks off another season for the men's soccer team as they host their annual Bulls Classic. Like any other team, the Bulls look to build on last season's successes, but first they must get past the off-field problems that cooled last year's hot start.
After a 6-0-1 start last season the Bulls were rocked when three upperclassmen were suspended for hazing a freshman player. Add the loss of leading scorer Lee Catchpole to a leg injury and the team began to freefall.
Catchpole recovered, the suspended players were reinstated and the team managed to rally to make the semifinals of the MAC tournament, but the damage was done. Bulls head coach John Astudillo said he feels it is important to look towards 2005 and not back towards 2004.
Astudillo set goals for this team that he feels will be reached.
"Every time we meet, we want to be a better team," Astudillo said.
Even though the upcoming tournament is at home, Astudillo does not feel any extra pressure to succeed.
"There is no more pressure for this weekend. It helps that we don't have to travel. Expectations are high for us anyways," Astudillo said.
Astudillo added that preparing for a tournament requires a different mindset than winning a single game.
"In a tournament we want to win both games, you want to win the tournament, in the season you are only looking at one game at a time," Astudillo said.
Astudillo said the team expects a lot from this year's freshmen. One freshman who he feels can start immediately is Daniel Gwyther. Another player that may contribute is freshman Mark Stensel, a local player from Cheektowaga, who Stensel was a first-team All-Western New York selection, and played for the Buffalo United Soccer club, according to the athletics department Web site.
To complement the incoming freshmen, the Bulls have a solid core of veterans and upperclassmen, with offensive star Catchpole leading the group. Catchpole, a sophomore this year, led the team in goals and points despite missing 7 games last season. This summer he represented England in the University Games held in Turkey.
Astudillo said playing in those games helped Catchpole because he was playing at such a high level of competition. Astudillo said he is not concerned about fatigue from all the games Catchpole has played recently.
Catchpole is not the only returning player needed to make an impact. The Bulls also need key performances from their veteran leaders like goaltender Dan Bell and forward Matt Struzynski.
In addition to acclimating new players, the Bulls will also need to adjust to new turf installed on the soccer field. Astudillo said the biggest change with the new turf is that it might slow down play.
The Bulls will kick off the tournament Friday Night at 7 p.m. against Valparaiso. The Bulls also play Cleveland State, Niagara, and Siena this weekend.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
