The upcoming 2007 men’s soccer season will be a test for a young and eager squad. The Billikens will be losing seven seniors from a year ago, not to mention their top three leaders in points. “We have a big group of capable guys who have been waiting behind those seniors for a chance to play. They are a strong and anxious group that are ready to step up and help us win,” said junior midfielder Eric Sweetin.
During the 2006 season, the Bills were crowned regular season champions of the Atlantic 10 Conference, but ended up losing the A-10 Tournament to Rhode Island for the second straight year. After earning an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Bills were upset by unranked Northwestern by a score of 1-0 at home in the second round of the College Cup. The Bills had entered the tournament as the seventh ranked team in the nation. After their early exit, they ended the year ranked 21st in the nation.
The Bills will be led by three up-and-coming stars who all had great seasons in 2006. Sweetin didn’t post a point during the 2006 season but was still an Atlantic 10 First Team selection because of his tenacious defense. This year he plans to play a more pivotal role on the offensive end, which he will add to his responsibilities on defense. “Obviously, everyone wants to contribute on the offensive end and it would be nice to get a couple of goals. We have no excuse for losing the A-10 championship two years in a row to Rhode Island. It is on us if we lose the A-10. Everyone on this team is sick of losing, and we have made it a big goal to emphasize how important it is for us to win during the post-season,” said Sweetin.
Sophomore Rob Viviano, who was named A-10 Rookie of the Year in 2006, will anchor the 2007 Bills defense just as he did last year. “Personal awards don’t mean that much to me. I’d rather help win an NCAA championship for my teammates,” said Viviano. Viviano is becoming one of the best center backs in all of college soccer, and he was a big reason the Bills boasted the top ranked defense in the nation. Viviano will be part of the young nucleus that looks to duplicate last year’s defensive dominance. The focus of this year’s unit will have to be as sharp as last year’s unit. “With the loss of seven seniors and five new starters on board, we need to train hard as a team and get good chemistry with each other on the field,” said Viviano.
According to Viviano, this team needs to strive to be better as a whole as well as make better decisions. Goalkeeper and fellow sophomore Ross Kaufman will play a huge role on this team as well. He recorded 11 victories as the starting keeper in 2006 and will look at last year’s experience as something to build upon. Kaufman is quickly developing into one of the best keepers in the Atlantic 10. He and Viviano are young, but they already have plenty of game experience as they appeared in 17 and 19 matches last year, respectively.
With a great young nucleus in place and a schedule that plays to their advantage, the Bills are looking at another successful season under coach Dan Donigan. The question that must be answered this year is whether the Bills win in the post-season and the NCAA Tournament, something that they have struggled with in recent years. This summer will be crucial for the Bills to train hard, get fit and spark a chemistry that will lead them deep into the College Cup.
