The NYU men’s soccer team beat St. John Fisher College with a close 2-1 scoreline to take their perfect starting streak to 5-0 on Sept. 13. With forward Nicolas Notaro finding the back of the net and also bagging an assist, the freshman seems to have gelled well with older the players. Freshman forward Malcolm Montilus also managed to get a goal to his name in the contest. The win has boosted the confidence of the team, who is aiming for a University Athletic Association title this year.

Sophomore forward Bryan Walsh acknowledged the contribution of the freshmen on the team.

“A close win against a solid program is always a confidence booster, but this game specifically showed us that the freshmen can produce results in crucial situations,” Walsh said.

This win came on the back of an impressive 4-0 win over City College of New York on Sept. 3, and a hard-fought 3-2 extra time win against the College of Staten Island on Sept. 10. The progression of the performances put forward may be an indicator of how well the team is shaping up.

With nine goals scored in the last three games, the team boasts a wide array of attacking players, with the freshmen being especially impressive thus far. An average of over 22 shots per game, combined with over 2.5 goals per game, bodes well for the team. Playing an away match against Hunter College this Wednesday, these statistics are bound to give the players self-assurance. Much of this success has been because of the talent of both the experienced and the freshmen players, as well as solid work put in at the training ground.

One can see how the team is being built to be not only great in possession, but also hardworking off the ball by pressurizing opponents and closing up spaces. Even though the team’s attack has been particularly impressive, the defense deserves equal praise for putting in consistent displays in the early stages of the season.

“Our undefeated record so far comes from a lot of talent and a lot of hard work,” sophomore midfielder Petter Aasa said. “We have a really talented team this year, but talent doesn’t mean anything unless you have the work ethic which we have proven to have as well. We are now just focusing on constantly improving, both individually and as a team in order to win the UAA this season.”

With the team vying for the UAA title, each game is a must-win and the game against Hunter College could be pivotal for their momentum. While Hunter College will be looking to give the Violets their first defeat of the season, NYU hopes to take their perfect record to a formidable 6-0.

A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Sept. 16 print edition. Email Abbas Shahid at [email protected].