Several members of the Boston University men’s soccer team will be playing new positions or filling new roles this fall. The biggest holes are those left by midfielder Neil Hlavaty, who signed with the Cleveland City Stars of the United Soccer League’s Second Division, and back Derek Puerta, last year’s team captain who was lost to graduation.
Replacing Hlavaty as the team’s playmaker in the center of the midfield will be junior Samuel Appiah, who was used more on the flank last year.
“We are trying to get [Appiah] to be more of a playmaker,” BU coach Neil Roberts said. “He is going to hold it in the center of the midfield for us and be a distributor.”
Replacing Puerta both as the team captain and the leader of the team’s defense corps is senior Dan Schultz.
“Puerta developed into a very consistent player over two and a half years on defense,” Roberts said. “Schultz will become more consistent as the season goes by. Puerta was very calm and dependable and that is what Schultz will end up being.”
Junior Jon Jonsson and freshmen Ben Berube and Colin Henry will all be playing new positions as well. Jonsson started all 20 games as a back last year, but will be moving to the midfield this year.
“[Jonsson] has done a really good job serving balls throughout the preseason and that is going to be his job in the midfield,” Roberts said.
Berube was a back in high school, but will be used as a flank midfielder this year because of his speed. Henry will move in the opposite direction, going from the midfield to defense.
Picking up the tempo
If nothing else, the Terriers will be more exciting to watch this year. The additions of Berube and fellow freshmen speedster Michael Bustamante allow Roberts to run a quicker, more aggressive offense.
“The easiest way to break teams down is to be quick,” Roberts said. “We have not had a lot of speed in the last couple years, but we have some now and we are going to use it. [Berube] can run and beat people on the dribble. His quickness and ability to take people on is essential.
“Bustamante is playing the No. 10, which is the attacking center midfielder on the team. There is a lot of responsibility that goes along with that position because the attack goes through you. I think in time Michael will be a legitimate No. 10 and there are not a whole lot of teams who have that.”
Appiah also brings speed to the center of the attack. The added speed in the midfield should open the frontline up for forwards Shaun Taylor, Aaron O’Neal and Jin Oh.
“We think we have found the way we want to play offensively and we think it is working for us so far,” Roberts said. “We have created some good chances against some good teams offensively.”
Strength of schedule
The Terriers certainly did not look at the beginning of the regular season as an extended preseason when they made this year’s schedule. Five of their first six opponents were ranked in the Top 25 in the NSCAA preseason poll and five of their nine non-conference opponents were in the NCAA Tournament last year.
The Terriers have already lost two tough games to then-No. 4 Boston College (2-1-0) and then-No. 13 University of Massachusetts-Amherst (3-2-0). Their next two games are at No. 3 University of Connecticut and No. 22 St. John’s University.
BU will also take on No. 12 Brown University and tournament teams Colgate University and Harvard University before starting conference play. America East has been stronger in recent years and was rewarded with two tournament bids last year.
“There is always a bunch of good teams in the conference. Right now, the top two favorites are Vermont and Binghamton,” Roberts said. “New Hampshire is going to be a tough team to play and Hartford is an up-and-coming team.
“We knew that this schedule was very ambitious, but as we have found out in these first two games, these games are also very winnable.”