Sometimes it takes a few snags in the road before a team begins to understand its offense. Junior captain Oral Bullen and sophomore Rob Charest have figured out this problem and are helping the University of Massachusetts men’s soccer team turn a preseason weakness into a midseason strength.

Going into the 2004 campaign, the Minutemen were looking at one of the finest defensive units in the Atlantic 10. UMass shut out Notre Dame, who was then ranked No. 9 in the country, in a preseason exhibition and came storming into the season with a defense peaking and an offense looking for some answers.

Then, once the Minutemen gave up 13 goals in their first five games, it was uncertain where the team’s strength would lie. It was then that Charest and Bullen showed that they were ready to bear the brunt of the offensive load.

“They have done very well,” UMass head coach Sam Koch said. “Now that we’re in conference, every goal means that much more. I think they are doing a good job with that responsibility.”

Part of Charest’s job has apparently been winning games for the Minutemen. So far Charest has netted two game-winning goals for UMass, one against Hartford on September 14th, and another against the Wildcats of New Hampshire on September 22nd.

Charest, who is typically a quiet player, has been a spark plug for the Minutemen this year and is currently tied with Bullen for most goals on the team with five.

“He’s so quiet the other team doesn’t know where he is, and he sneaks behind them,” Koch said jokingly. “He has a very good eye for the goal. He sees situations, he sees what’s there, and he’s been able to capitalize on it.”

It seems odd that a player that only scored one goal last year would be carrying a significant portion of the Minutemen’s goal scoring. As a freshman, Charest was relegated to the bench for much of the year and only started twice in 17 games.

Koch, however, isn’t shocked by the way Charest has responded to more playing time. He mentioned that he is a hard worker on and off the field, and every goal he scores is well earned.

“I’m not surprised; I think he’s one of our better players,” Koch said. “To have five at this point in the season is maybe a few more than I thought, but I’m not really surprised because I know he can put the ball in the back of the net.”

Bullen, however, started the season with much higher expectations. As the captain and the returning starter with the most goals from last year, Bullen was the focal point of the UMass offense.

Although he has not had any golden goals, Bullen is still opening up chances and putting the ball away for the Minutemen. He and Charest have been staples in an offense that has gone through several changes this season, all in hopes of finding a unit that clicks.

“I think the tough thing for him is that he’s the one frontrunner that everybody knows about,” Koch said on Bullen. “When he goes into a game, the other team tries to stop him.”

After completing nearly half its season, UMass has a couple more frontrunners that opposing coaches are on the lookout for. Charest and Bullen have been more than sufficient for the Minutemen this year, but freshman Matt Lemire has also been a threat with two goals and two assists in the season.

“Matt Lemire has definitely helped, because now the other team has to worry about him,” Koch said. “This gives Oral [Bullen] a little more space to run. Now they have to worry about Charest. Now all three of them are helping each other.”