The Massachusetts men’s soccer team opened its season with a 0-0 draw against the Siena Saints. The scoreless result marked the fourth consecutive year that UMass (0-0-1) has kicked off its campaign with a tie.
The Minutemen survived a few late attacking opportunities from Siena (0-0-1) with the help of goalkeeper Alex Geczy. The premier scoring chance of the game arrived as the clock ticked past the five-minute mark. Saints midfielder Zach Gardner charged into the box and guided a rolling shot toward the bottom right corner. He had already begun his celebratory sprint to the corner when Geczy leaped through the air to deny the attempt.
Dangerous moments were few and far between during the opening-day matchup. UMass was nearest to scoring through Johan Feilscher’s chance at the stroke of halftime. The German-born Merrimack transfer almost capitalized on an errant pass in the back, but his left-footed strike left the crossbar reverberating instead.
The star of the show in Amherst is once again expected to be striker Alec Hughes in 2024. Hughes returned to the team after surprisingly going undrafted in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. His 15 goals in 19 appearances carried much of the weight for the Minutemen’s attack in 2023. Hughes also enjoyed a blazing stint with semi-pro side Western Mass Pioneers during the offseason, scoring 16 goals and winning the USL League Two Golden Boot as the top scorer.
Hughes was held off the scoresheet but played a full 90 minutes and recorded three shots, one of which was on target. UMass showcased its brand-new frontline for the first time, starting new additions on each wing. Bilal Hersi, a graduate transfer from Siena, made his debut in maroon and white on the very pitch he called home for the previous four years. Fellow graduate transfer Oliver Akintade, who previously scored goals for Calvin University, got the nod from head coach Fran O’Leary on the opposite flank.
The Minutemen entered the fixture with a clear gameplan, to press high and win the ball in advantageous positions. The plan proved effective early, however, it lacked the end product. Ideas flowed through the heads of UMass midfielders, but the final pass was missing, which is to be expected in the first match.
Siena had a strategy of its own, one that involved preventing threats before they materialized. Nine first-half fouls broke any rhythm the Minutemen found in possession. The Saints finished the contest with 15 infractions, along with three yellow cards.
Junior midfielder Matt Cence took on set piece responsibilities for UMass and did a fine job in doing so. Cence whipped appetizing crosses into the box throughout the entire 90-minute affair. He also popped up inside the box for a couple of meaningful opportunities of his own. Cence’s ability to use either foot successfully makes him a serious risk for opposing defenses whenever he’s on the ball.
The bright side of a scoreless draw is the clean sheet earned by a rigid defensive performance. The Minutemen retained their preferred starting center back duo from 2023 in senior captain Matt Fordham alongside junior Aidan Kelly. Fordham suffered a season-ending ankle injury after just three games last year, but he recovered his sharpness rather quickly. The pair put out a multitude of fires to keep the Saints off the board.
The opening match of the season held plenty of positives for UMass, but the goal-scoring will undoubtedly need to ramp up in the near future. The Minutemen will look to build off their sturdy performance in the midfield and defense as the schedule kicks into full swing.
UMass will seek its first victory of the season when visiting the Bryant Bulldogs on Monday, August 26. Bryant was voted No. 26 in the country in the NCAA’s preseason poll. Kickoff at Beirne Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
Cameron Pellegrino can be reached at [email protected].
