Senior captain, Douglas Silveira, and the rest of the men’s soccer team surprised many by posting an 11-7-1 record during the 2013 season under first-year coach, Jake Beverlin. In 2014, the Beacons hope to continue that success and make a return to the Little East Conference Tournament for the first time since 2006.
“Our possession is really good and we have really good attackers. If things start to click together, I think we’ll be in really good shape,” said Silveira.
The success of last season has upped the expectations for the team, according to Silveira. Following a 2012 season where the team combined for only twenty-six goals in seventeen matches, the 2013 Beacons exploded on offense, scoring forty-four goals in nineteen contests. Two players had twelve-goal seasons.
“Last year was the beginning: we brought it,” Silveira said, adding, “Now all we have to do is focus on our goals, work hard and I feel we can be even better than last year.”
Second-year coach, Jake Beverlin, has helped facilitate a resurgence for the Beacons. After a 5-10-2 season in 2012, which included a 1-6-0 record in the Little East Conference, Beverlin came in and has upped the offensive production of the team.
“[Beverlin] really stresses that we can be a great team if we work hard, and always says if we want it, then we just need to go for it,” said Silveira.
Silveira is quick to compliment his teammates, touting the successes of others as a strong reason for the team’s triumph. He was impressed by two individuals specifically when talking about their performance through the first five games of the season.
“We have a freshman, Marcelo Cunha, who’s playing center back. It’s his first year and it’s not really his position, but he’s stepped up and is playing really well at the center back position,” Silveira said, “and Elton Teixeira is a really fast player who I think you’ll be seeing more of as the season goes on.”
The Beacons hold a 2-3-0 record through five games this season. Silveira believes that better decision-making on the pitch can help the Beacons down the road.
“We have the ability to get up to the goal,” says Silveira, “and we have to be able to make that last little decision that will give us the opening to finish it.”