Heading into the 2007 season, Aaron Bonser knew the Syracuse men’s soccer team had the best defense of his four years with the program. Through eight matches and four shutouts, even the toughest opponents are beginning to take notice.

After the Orange’s 1-0 loss to then-No. 5 West Virginia last Sunday, Bonser received high praise from an unlikely source.

‘Two of the best offensive players on West Virginia came up to me and said, ‘You guys were the best defense we’ve faced so far,” Bonser said. ‘It’s a good compliment, and it shows we’re respected. West Virginia wasn’t expecting that game we gave them.’

The strong backline play may have been a surprise to the Mountaineers, but Syracuse’s defense won’t sneak up on anyone anymore. Led by three seniors – Bonser, James Goodwin and Brad Peetoom – SU’s back four has held opponents to just four goals this season and propelled the Orange to its best start in more than 20 years.

It’ll need to continue its performance as Syracuse continues Big East play this weekend starting a tough three-game road trip. The Orange (4-1-3, 1-1 Big East) faces Providence this afternoon before traveling to Storrs, Conn., to take on No. 5 Connecticut on Sunday.

With three veterans comprising the squad’s most important unit, Peetoom, Bonser and Goodwin bring a valuable blend of talent and leadership to the field every game.

‘All of us are really good players who have worked hard every year and earned our time on the field, and together, we’ve put together a good back four,’ Peetoom said. ‘Including (junior) Karol (Wasielewski) now, we think every game we could have a shutout.’

So far, Peetoom’s bold statement hasn’t been too far from the truth. Syracuse has not allowed more than one goal in a match and currently ranks sixth in the nation with a 0.45 goals against average. Starting goalkeeper Rob Cavicchia owns a .902 save percentage, good for fifth in the country.

Much of Cavicchia’s success, though, is a direct result of the defense in front of him. With Peetoom and Bonser clogging the right side and Goodwin leading the way on the left, opposing offenses have struggled to manage quality shots throughout the season.

Against West Virginia, the Mountaineers had to settle for long attempts outside the box for 107 minutes before finally connecting with the game-winning goal.

Having the most experienced players on the backline is especially key because the team’s two main goal scorers are sophomore Hansen Woodruff and junior Kyle Hall.

‘That’s a good spot to have senior leadership,’ SU head coach Dean Foti said. ‘It’s a great spot to have senior leadership. It gives the rest of the team so much confidence when they know the most veteran players are sitting at the back of the team, and they can shut the door on the other team.’

But that leadership was only two-thirds complete against West Virginia and will probably remain depleted this weekend. Goodwin suffered a leg injury against Pittsburgh on Sept. 21 and is still considered day-to-day.

Though Syracuse showed it has enough defensive prowess to compensate for the loss of one starter, the trio plays off one another’s strengths to hold down offenses.

Bonser is one of the fastest players on the team, using his speed and quickness to mark defenders and prevent long passes from turning into breakaways. Goodwin is the ball handler of the group, making plays with the ball on his foot and starting a charge the other way. Peetoom, the team captain, anchors the entire defense with communication and experience.

‘After four years, we know each other,’ Bonser said. ‘When the ball goes over Brad’s head, he knows to knock it out to me. If I’m under pressure, I know exactly where Brad’s going to be. And the same goes for James.’

As Syracuse continues to hold down the best offenses in the country, the program’s reputation will continue to grow. The Orange received five votes in the most recent national poll but hasn’t yet cracked the top 25.

For the senior trio, the weekend provides another opportunity to show the country what Syracuse’s defense can do.

‘Teams are coming in here with a bit more respect for us than in previous years,’ Peetoom said. ‘And we’re looking to do some damage.’

Published on September 29, 2007 at 12:00 pm