After securing its first win Wednesday night against Central Connecticut State, the men’s soccer team is hoping to improve its record to 2-1-2 this Saturday when the Bulldogs take on St. Francis (N.Y) at home.

So far this season, the Terriers are 2-2-0 and have won two games in a row. The first came on Sept. 11, when they took down the Virginia Military Institute Keydets 2-0. They followed that up with a 1-0 victory over Liberty two days later.

Coming off of their victory over CCSU, the Elis are going into the rest of their season with increased confidence. The defense, which prominently features freshman players, has been showing marked improvement. In Wednesday’s win, Yale’s defense was so effective that they did not allow the Blue Devils to score and held them to just three corner kicks.

“We’ve all been together for just under a month now,” goalkeeper Travis Chulick ’10 said. “So the freshmen are kind of getting a feel for what collegiate soccer is like. They’re settling in and continuing to make their mark.”

The key to continued success for the Bulldogs will be what head coach Brian Tompkins refers to as “game management.”

In previous games, the excitement of a scored goal became a fatal distraction for the Elis. Twice, the Bulldogs have allowed their opponents to take advantage of the commotion and score.

“With a young team, the things that come slowest are game management situations,” Tompkins said. “These are the things we’re learning as we go.”

This weekend, the team is going to once again put their management skills to the test against a fairly strong team.

“As always, we’re expecting a tight defense and a high-pressure midfield,” Jordan Raybould ’10 said.

The Bulldogs will face the Terriers at home om Saturday at 7 p.m. at Reese Stadium.