SBU streaks into conference play
Tyler Diedrich, Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/9/09 Section: Sports
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Coach Mel Mahler said a win streak is important at any time of the year.
"Any time you have good results it validates the process," Mahler said. "I think the players buy in to it better when it's working. It's a momentum builder; it helps develop confidence in what we're doing and just validates the process that we're trying to teach."
The Bonnies (4-4) face Fordham (3-5-1) in today's conference opener at home at 3:30. The game kicks off a conference season the team hopes will see them qualify for the postseason, which it was one point shy of last year.
"We really feel we are capable of taking the next step, and it starts Friday," Mahler said. "We've been close the past two years, and we feel we have the team that can get us into the postseason."
Senior defender Tyler Bellamy said he hopes to make the postseason in his senior year and thinks things are starting to fall into place for the Bonnies.
"We have all the right pieces, but (we didn't) start the season too well," Bellamy said. "It was a little downing, but we just turned it around. If we can keep it going, I feel like this could be our year."
The Bonnies open conference play with four home games before finishing with five away contests. Mahler said he was displeased with the schedule, but he hopes the early home stand will help give the team momentum.
"Frankly, I hate it," Mahler said. "For us to have the first four games at home, maybe we can get on a roll. But (we've) got the next five games on the road. It really wears you down. You do that three consecutive weekends; it's not an even playing field. But it is what it is. There's nothing we can do about it."
The Bonnies were ranked 13th out of 14 teams in the A-10 preseason coaches' poll. No Bonnies were named to the preseason all-conference team, according to Atlantic10.com.
Despite flying under the radar during the A-10 preseason, Mahler said there is a lot of parity the A-10, and anything can happen once play begins.
"So be it," Mahler said of the poll. "There are three or four really good teams in the conference, and the rest of us are fighting to get that fourth, fifth or sixth spot into the postseason. Every game has playoff implications because of that format. This is the first weekend for everybody … we're right in the hunt."
Although the rest of the A-10 may not have high hopes for the Bonnies, Bellamy said the team is heating up at the right time.
"Our biggest challenge is finishing, (but) we really got hot (recently)," Bellamy said. "This is when we need it. This is when it matters."
The Bonnies offense has emerged of late, scoring eight goals during the three-game win streak. Senior forward Sam Maheu leads the team with six goals. Junior midfielders Fabrizio Savarino (three) and Brett Allen (two) are the only other multi-goal scorers. Bellamy and junior forward Dan Mitchell each have one. Allen leads the team assists with three.
The Bonnies face LaSalle at home Sunday at 2 p.m. in their second conference game, before finishing their A-10 home slate against Dayton and Xavier next weekend.
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