Having begun the year with a 5-0 victory followed by two consecutive tie games, the Pioneer men’s soccer team will rely on their team chemistry, abundant depth and their ten scheduled home games to bring them back to the NCAA Tournament.

The team has not made the tournament since 2012 when this year’s seniors were freshman.

Head coach Enzo Fuschino said it was very helpful that the team had built chemistry last spring on their trip to Italy.

“The core group of players that attended the trip to Italy is where we started and then we brought in an assimilation of new players that fit really well together,” senior goalie Scott Sibik said.

With five returning seniors and six returning juniors, Fuschino said he expects core upperclassmen to work well with all the younger players.

Fuschino also said that in order to accomplish the team goals it is imperative that the players stay healthy, which they failed to accomplish last year.

“Last year we had a total of about 15 guys getting hurt throughout the season,” Fuschino said. “If we stay healthy we will definitely make some noise.”

This year there is no Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for men’s soccer, so Fuschino said that in order to make the playoffs they must win more games than the opposing teams who are on their schedule.

Pioneer senior defender and second-team All-WIAC, William Pretto said he would like to see his team on top at the end of the season. In order to accomplish that, the team must use their roster depth to overcome adversity when it arises.

“We know there are ups and down, but it is how we react to the downs that will determine how the season goes,” Pretto said. “Inevitably, injuries will happen and when having that next guy in, we don’t want the level of play to drop.”

Both Pretto and Sibik said it was crucial for them to win all of their home games seeing as the Pioneers will be playing ten at Ralph E. Davis Stadium compared to eight on the road this season.

The Pioneers are currently 1-0-2. They compete against Milwaukee School of Engineering tonight and will compete against St. Norbert College on Saturday.