Syracuse goalie Jeremy Vuolo has kept the Syracuse men’s soccer team in numerous games. He is the anchor at the back of a Syracuse defense that has only given up more than two goals on three occasions. And it has come in a season in which his offensive teammates have not scored a goal in Big East play.

But come Wednesday, Vuolo may meet his match. Syracuse (2-6-5, 0-2-3 Big East) travels down to Villanova (7-5-2, 3-1-1), and Vuolo will go up against Chris Bresnahan in a matchup of two of the Big East’s best goalies.

As both keepers have proven to be integral parts of their respective teams, the difference in Wednesday’s game will likely come down to which goalie makes the first mistake or which team takes an unstoppable shot. And Vuolo is hoping his pregame ritual with SU goalie coach Mike Miller will give him the edge.

‘I get my confidence from good training sessions and preparing well,’ Vuolo said. ‘So the fact that I’ve been able to prepare myself well throughout the week before the games has really contributed to me playing well.’

Leading up to every game, Miller simulates an opponent’s offensive formation and field conditions, so Vuolo knows exactly what is coming. This is why Vuolo believes he is tied for second in the Big East with five saves per game. This is what drives him. And with Vuolo keeping SU in each game, the Orange is still relevant in the postseason discussion.

Bresnahan happens to be the other goalie tied for second in the Big East in saves per game. The two goalies have never played each other, but in most conference goalkeeping statistics, they both rank near the Top 10. Bresnahan leads the league in saves with 65. Vuolo, who has played two fewer games, has 55, putting him third in the Big East.

In last year’s game against Villanova, SU midfielder Geoff Lytle had one of the few shots against Bresnahan. Lytle said early in the game, he took the ball down the line. His shot deflected off a defender and was saved by the diving keeper. That game ultimately resulted in a 3-1 loss for Syracuse. This year, Lytle said the emphasis must remain on getting shots.

‘No matter how good the goalie is,’ Lytle said, ‘if we don’t test him, it won’t matter.’

Vuolo was tested in SU’s 3-0 loss at Marquette Saturday. The three goals were the most he has allowed since the Orange lost 5-1 in its first game against Siena on Sept. 1. The first two goals for the Golden Eagles were not glaring missteps on Vuolo’s part. The first was a bent shot from outside the box, and the second was a penalty kick. But the third was where he made a mistake. The ball was about eye level, and Vuolo almost got his hands on it but instead stepped in the wrong direction.

He said the real problem was, for once, he was unprepared. A poor recovery day, and then a travel day, led up to the game against the Golden Eagles. Vuolo felt ‘lackadaisical’ before and during the game.

Yet moving on to Villanova should not be a problem for the keeper, even after the tough loss, SU head coach Ian McIntyre said.

‘We talk about how half the game is before the next game,’ McIntyre said. ‘Especially good goalkeepers, they have to have a little bit of amnesia and forget. Don’t worry about what has happened to them. Worry about what’s ahead.’

Bresnahan also conceded three goals in his match Saturday to a Georgetown team that is now first in the Big East’s Blue Division. After Saturday’s games, each goalie has allowed 14 goals this season. Although Wednesday’s game will not directly establish which goalie is superior, it is a chance for one to separate from the other.

Vuolo is looking forward to the challenge. Coming off a disappointing performance against Marquette, he will seek to re-establish himself as the dominant and prepared goalie he is.

‘I enjoy personally playing against a good goalkeeper,’ Vuolo said. ‘I see it as a challenge. I’d like to have a better game than him.’

alguggen@syr.edu