The Buena Vista men's soccer team kicks-off its 2018 season on Friday, August 31, by hosting Concordia-Moorhead at 7:30pm, and for the Beavers they are looking for bigger things this season with a more experienced roster taking the field.

"As Preseason comes to a end, we feel we are ahead of schedule," says fifth-year head coach Ben McArthur. "The returning players came in fairly fit, and that has helped us to be able to focus on other things besides fitness. The players have really had some intense training sessions and the work rate is fantastic."

BVU is coming off a tough 4-13-1 campaign a year ago, but dropped 10 of those contests by two goals or less.  McArthur knows his team needs to find the net more frequently but says his team's defensive play will be one of its strengths heading into the year.

"We will lean on our defending group to help keep us in every game," says McArthur. "We have great depth and the competition for starting positions will be a year long competition. We need to improve on our attacking ability, and hopefully put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis."

The Beavers have a good deal of depth back on both sides and McArthur has added a nice bit of talented depth to the mix as well.

"We have a nice group of returning players that are invested in BV men's soccer," he adds. "Returning senior defenders Ryan Exline and Kevin Edgar will need to take the next step in communication and leadership. We expect great things from some of our attackers Gumwil Riak, Noah Bardwell, and Troy Finnegan. They have the tools to be really dangerous for us going forward."

Bardwell is the team's leading returning goal scorer in 2018 after registering five a year ago.  He was also one of four players to have dished out two assists.

Among those added to the mix this season is a familiar face with the program in Eugenio Rosiles.

"Eugenio Rosiles left us for a year and has returned to the team with a great attitude and willingness to be coached hard to continue to improve," says McArthur. "His freshman brother Gerardo Rosiles will have the chance to get some minutes in the attack and help score some goals. They can both play at a high level.  Other freshman Nate Montequin and Byron Cota have had great preseasons and have proven they belong at this level.  Coach Ross Minick has been a shining light in preseason, his energy and experience has been a nice addition to our program."

McArthur is excited for the depth he'll have guarding the net going forward with a trio of strong keepers in place.

"The GK's are competing every day and trying to improve," he says. "We will lean on Manuel Garcia Aguilar to take over as the full time starter after splitting time the last 2 seasons. He needs to clean up his decisions on attacking crosses but he is a top notch shot stopper. No doubt he will win a few games for us this fall with his ability. Jarrod Daniel came into camp really fit and is improving every day and freshman Noah Hoffman is working hard and adapting to the college game."

BVU went 1-7 during conference play a year ago, and McArthur feels his team is close to making a nice run and getting itself back into the conference tournament.

"The American Rivers Conference men's soccer league is a bloodbath," he notes. "No easy conference games. We need to turn some of the 1-0, 2-1 losses in the past to wins for us in 2018.  Every game will be a battle and we will need hard work and a few good bounces to go our way and we will compete in the conference."

After its opener against Concordia-Moorhead, the Beavers will go on the road on September 2 for a non-conference match at Cornell College.  The team returns home to host Dordt on September 5 and will begin the league schedule at Luther College on September 29.