The Massachusetts men’s lacrosse team’s 2015 nonconference schedule presents no easy task to open the season. Of its seven games outside the Colonial Athletic Association, five are against preseason nationally ranked opponents.

This daunting schedule begins for UMass on Saturday, Feb. 7 in its season opener against No. 20 Army. Despite the challenges ahead, Minutemen coach Greg Cannella said he believes they will help prepare UMass for its second half of the season in CAA play.

“We’re going to be the underdog in this game and the next few games as well,” Cannella said. “Playing some nationally ranked teams here right off the bat is very difficult but it’s a challenge. You hope that by playing a competitive (nonconference) schedule, that motivates (the team) throughout the year.”

The Black Knights are a familiar foe for UMass, who has beaten Army each of the past four seasons. A veteran team composed of 22 upperclassmen, the Black Knights are a well-balanced and physical team, according to Cannella.

“They’re always very physical and tough and they’re aggressive on loose balls in swarm situations,” Cannella said.

“They are very strong as a team defensively, they have a very strong faceoff team and a veteran offense. So I don’t think it’s one thing. It’s what they do as a team and the job that their coaches do to prepare them.”

John Glesner leads Army’s experienced corps. Last season, the 6-foot-3-inch attacker was named to the All-Patriot First Team behind a team-leading 43 goals and 57 points.

While Cannella called Glesener “one of the best players in the country,” senior co-captain Ryan Izzo added that slowing him down on attack Saturday is a top priority for the Minutemen’s defense.

“We have to do a good job in maintaining him and try to limit him to as few opportunities as possible,” Izzo said.

Izzo said that matching the Black Knights’ physicality on defense – Army limited opponents to a national-best 7.21 goals per game in 2014 – will not be an issue in what he said will be low-scoring game.

“Day in and day out we try to bring that blue collar mentality and try to win that physical battle,” Izzo said. “We know they’re going to bring it, so we just have to match that.”

However, Izzo added scoring, especially in transition offense, is something that he would like to see improved from last season. After starting last season 7-2, UMass faltered down the stretch, finishing 0-4 with less than 10 goals in each of the four losses.

“We just want to take it one game at a time,” Izzo said. “The last two years, we’ve gotten off to hot starts but kind of peaked too early in our eyes. The mentality for us this year is to just take it one week at a time, not look ahead to who we’re playing down the road and to understand the scout, learn the scout and execute come game day.”

Youth movement

In contrast to Army’s vast supply of upperclassmen, the Minutemen enter 2015 with only six seniors and six juniors.

Cannella said Saturday’s game against the Black Knights not only provides an opportunity for the 13 freshmen on the team to make an impression but also for UMass’ strong group of sophomores to take on larger roles.

“The young guys, you have to see how they react in adverse situations,” Cannella said. “This (Saturday) will certainly be one.”

Among the Minutemen’s sophomore class who made an impact last year were Nick Mariano, Jeff George and Grant Consoletti. While Mariano was named 2014 CAA Rookie of the Year behind a team-leading 29 goals and 10 assists, George and Consoletti finished with 15 and 13 points, respectively.

Izzo said that the underclassmen have impressed during the preseason in embracing heightened expectations.

“Whether it’s starting on the attack end or midfield, we’re trying to fill in some of the positions that we lost last year,” Izzo said. “But I think they’ve done a great job so far up until this point in understanding their roles on the team and what we expect from them.”

Saturday’s game will be UMass’ home opener. Originally scheduled for Garber Field, it will now be played at McGuirk Stadium at 1 p.m.

Anthony Chiusano can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @a_chiusano24.