Dean Foti tells his SU men’s soccer team it should never assume what the lineup is going to be until a few days before the squad’s upcoming game. He stresses the lineup could change from week-to-week, as evidenced by the three different starting lineups Foti has posted in the first four games.

The lineup is also usually composed of players with college experience under their belt. But in the midfield, there have been two freshmen who have seen their name on the starting card for all four games.

Redshirt freshman Nick Olivetti and true freshman Raoul Meister have become key pieces to the Orange’s midfield this season, starting all four games for Syracuse (3-0-1). The duo has provided solid minutes on the field for Syracuse this season and helped create scoring opportunities.

‘Nick has been a nuts-and-bolts player who has done the work, rolled up his sleeves and made his way into some playing time,’ Foti said. ‘Raoul is very composed on the field, and he reads the game very well. He brings a lot of different dimensions in his ability to strike long balls over distances as well as to combine in shorter play.’

Olivetti stepped into the starting lineup after redshirting last season because he was not in the mix for playing time and needed to work on his strength and endurance, Foti said.

During the summer, Olivetti devoted plenty of time to running and lifting regimens. He also kept active on the soccer field by playing with a club team, Super Nova, based out of Pennsylvania.

Foti said Olivetti might be the most improved player on the team from where he was at this point in the season to now. Olivetti is just pleased to get his chance on the field.

‘I’m really happy with the opportunity to start and show how my hard work over the summer and stuff has paid off,’ Olivetti said. ‘I didn’t really expect to step into the starting lineup, but after the scrimmages and pre-season, I guess I did that for me.’

Foti also credited Olivetti’s ability to be a simple player. Foti said he knows what he will get from Olivetti on a daily basis, and the midfielder has proved that he belongs on the field. The head coach cited Olivetti’s performance against Colgate when he struck a powerful shot that the Raiders goalkeeper made a diving stop on, that would’ve ultimately won Syracuse the game.

With Meister, Foti said the experience he brings to the table has helped him earn his spot. Meister, who is from Sprockhoevel, Germany, is 20 and played for the U-19 and U-20 Westfalia regional soccer teams, along with being the team captain for the TSG Sprockhoevel youth soccer team.

Foti said Meister is a polished player technically who reads the game well. Meister already has two assists as well on the season for the Orange. In the first game against Canisius, Meister assisted on a goal by Tom Perevegyencev, and on Sunday against Florida Gulf Coast, Meister’s free kick led to junior Hansen Woodruff’s second goal of the season.

Perhaps more impressive, though, is Meister’s acclimation to American style of soccer. He said he has to work more on defense while playing midfield at Syracuse, compared to what he used to play in Germany. In Germany he said there were two midfielders, but here, he is alone in what he called the holding midfield.

‘I didn’t know what to expect with the opportunity, and then I came here and saw there are good players, and I am proud to play with the first team,’ Meister said. ‘I talked a lot to the assistant coach Jaro (Zawislan), and he said we expect you to play in the midfield and have that role and it was quite clear.’

While Olivetti and Meister have been stalwarts in the startling lineup, that could change at any time. Foti brought in several midfielders this season including Kevin Chan-Yu-Tin, David Neumann and Charles Schoening along with returning players such as seniors Isaac Collings and Pete Rowley.

But for now, both are helping the Orange to a 3-0-1 record, and their teammates are taking notice.

‘It’s good they’ve stepping up,’ Woodruff said. ‘Nick has definitely developed into a good player, and Raoul is a great player as well. They bring a lot of the team so it’s good having them on the field. I think in time they’re really going to flourish.’

mrehalt@syr.edu

Published on September 8, 2008 at 12:00 pm