Offensive execution has been a distinct weakness all season long for the Massachusetts men’s soccer team. But as hard as it might be to believe, the struggles may be only beginning.

Sometime before the UMass’ matchup against Dartmouth last Saturday, senior captain Bryant Craft sustained a strained quadriceps injury, forcing him to sit out against the Big Green and watch the Minutemen lose their fifth-straight game, a 2-1 decision in which the team mustered three shots and sorely missed Craft’s forward presence.

According to UMass coach Sam Koch, Craft will definitely miss the team’s last non-conference game this weekend against Bradley and is likely to miss additional time as the Minutemen enter their all-important Atlantic 10 schedule next weekend when they open up against Charlotte and Saint Louis.

“It’s a huge void,” said Koch. “[Especially] when you have a team that hasn’t been scoring goals, so it’s not a good thing, but it is what it is. Someone has to step up.”

Finding a viable replacement to fill Craft’s absence will certainly be a tall order. The senior scored a team-high seven goals last season and although he’s off to a slow start this year, scoring one goal through nine games, duplicating his presence and scoring threat will be no easy task.

In order to turn around the Minutemen’s difficult start to the year, everyone must step up, but Koch will be looking at young forwards Connor DeVivo and Josh Schwartz, in addition to midfielders Hellah Sidibe and Chris Roswess in particular to carry the load on the attack and start creating opportunities.

“It’s going to be tough without Bryant because he’s somebody teams really have to worry about because of his ability to move off the ball and his ability to put defenders under pressure,” said Koch. “So we’ve lost a good player, but we got some other guys that can fill his shoes, and that’s what we have to do.”

Koch can certainly have some glimmer of hope to believe that the offense will start turning it up, even with Craft’s absence over the next few games on top of the lack of scoring thus far.

Last Saturday, Schwartz – a freshman – scored his first collegiate goal against Dartmouth and, according to Koch, it was a long time coming for him to get it going after a very strong preseason.

“He’s going to be a very good player for us in the next four years,” said Koch. “It’s good for him to finally get that first one, because I think that will help him down the road.

“He has to make sure he doesn’t get into positions where his weaknesses – which are his size – are a factor,” added Koch.

“He has to play the ball quickly, he has to use the flanks more and he’s doing that. And his movement off the ball has to be better and he’s worked on it and he’s getting better.”

Just over one week away from the most important stretch of games every year for UMass, Craft’s injury comes at a very difficult time for the team, which has been battling growing pains all season long.

After losing star midfielders Stuart Amick and Ben Arikian last year to graduation, Craft was looked at to step up in a big way this season. Without him in the lineup for the foreseeable future, the youth movement will now be forced to perform with their leader on the sidelines.

“These next three games are probably the toughest three games that we’ve got,” said Koch. “It’s not going to be easy. We’re underdogs in all three of them, even though we’re at home and we’ve got to rise to the occasion.”

Stephen Hewitt can be reached at [email protected].