What To Watch For: Men's Soccer vs. UMass

After scoring three goals in sixteen minutes to take out Northeastern on Tuesday, the Harvard men’s soccer team (4-3-0) is riding high. The Crimson has scored 10 goals in four games heading into its game against UMass (1-5-0) on Friday, looking to take out its third in-state rival in less than two weeks. The Back Page previews the matchup below.

Is This Offense Here to Stay?

After the team scored just two goals in its first three games, coach Pieter Lehrer presciently noted that “all the parts are there … we are not far off.” The team has rewarded his faith by scoring at least three goals in four straight games after having not accomplished the feat once since November 2011.

Before the year, both coach and players commented on the increased familiarity with the system. Through seven games, the Crimson have scored 15 goals—eight more than it had at this point last year. With increased versatility across the lineup—10 different players have already scored this year—the team’s offense looks to have staying power.

Playing With a Full Deck

Harvard’s last pair of wins have come without co-captain Kyle Henderson, who has sat the entirety of both games after providing two of the team’s first three goals in the season. Henderson is the team’s premier creator from the midfield position and can launch accurate shots from anywhere on the field. The senior sniper has eight shots on goal in five games.

Henderson is not the only one struggling with injuries—junior co-captain Mark Ashby received stitches for the third time this season following a split chin endured during the Northeastern game. This Crimson team is deep and has weathered the departure of Henderson thus far, but possible or extended absences from both players are crucial things to watch moving forward.

Player to Watch

Senior forward Philip Flesichman had two goals in 14 games last year but has yet to get on the board in 2014. He has shots in two of his last three games after recording none in his first four and will look to notch his first score of the year on Friday.