Men’s soccer hits the road for Princeton matchup

For the third time this season, the Boston University men’s soccer team will take to the road, this time for a Saturday afternoon showdown with Princeton University.

The Terriers (3-1) are riding a two-game winning streak ahead of their encounter with the Tigers (1-2), as they recently defeated both Siena College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

While BU coach Neil Roberts’ side is slowly padding the win column, the biggest talking point of the team’s season so far is how an inexperienced roster has quickly gelled. On the veteran side of things, junior goalkeeper Matt Gilbert has marshaled a defense led by junior right back David Asbjornsson and senior center back Jeroen Blugh.

Meanwhile, freshman left back David Riccio, freshman winger Adam Wright and other youngsters have quickly acclimated to Roberts’ system and quelled worries that youth may be BU’s downfall in 2015. Instead, everyone appears to be on the same page.

“It’s a good group,” Roberts said. “On the whole they train very well and there’s a lot of enthusiasm. It’s a work in progress and we understand that. But they’re very competitive and the blend is good. Adam Wright and David Riccio and [freshman forward] Sasha Boussina are playing more now, so [there’s] a lot of new people. We’re learning each other, but so far it’s going well.”

Outside of the team’s gradually improving chemistry, the midfield has also been an integral part of the Terriers’ early-season success. Freshmen T.J. Butzke and Ben Valek and sophomores Anthony Viteri and David Amirani comprise a four-pronged midfield that is beginning to find a balance between offense and attack.

Viteri has three goals on the year, while Butzke scored the game-winner against Fordham University on Aug. 28. Meanwhile, Amirani and Valek have admirably shielded the back line, breaking up forays in the process and jumpstarting attacks.

The midfield still has a ways to go, Roberts said, but the early-season signs are encouraging nonetheless.

“Ben Valek and David Amirani are in there and then more attacking guys with T.J. and Anthony, so it’s a good combination,” Roberts said. “It’s a work in progress, since it’s the heart and soul of our team. We still need to move the ball quicker without being a hurry and not just go backwards or east and west. Mostly possession with a purpose to create opportunities and see the openings we create and exploit them.”

Looking towards Princeton, Roberts expects a tight contest to unfold in spite of the Tigers’ record. If history indicates anything, the Tigers often deploy a proactive style of play and are not content to sit deep and hope for chances on counterattacks.

Former U.S. men’s national team head coach Bob Bradley, who led that team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, still has a lasting influence on the team he once guided.

“Princeton always has a reputation of playing pretty good football and moving the ball well with some technical players,” Roberts said. “It’s still the type of schooling that Bradley put in, and they still use his style. They’ve got some really strong central midfielders, too, and are just an all-around good team.”

Nonetheless, Princeton is currently riding a two-game losing streak, as they recently dropped decisions to Florida Gulf Coast University and Florida International University. They allowed five goals over the two matches, but also found the back of the net three times.

However, Roberts still feels that Princeton poses a significant threat and that its early defensive struggles do not paint the whole picture. Senior Thomas Sanner has banged home two goals and tallied one assist, and three other Princeton players have scored a goal apiece.

“They’re a good team for sure,” Roberts said. “It’s hard how they’ve gone on the road to Florida and didn’t get results. They were good last year and have some really solid players. Especially since it’s their home opener and on a beautiful field, it will be a difficult game for us. We’ll be under some pressure and will have to navigate that as best as we can.”