TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

This Tuesday, UB will host its first men’s soccer Mid-American Conference playoff game. What does the team need to do to turn away IPFW and reach the MAC semifinals in Akron?
The team needs to keep working together, keep attacking as a team, keep defending as a team. Just overall, keep doing everything in unison. I think, that way, IPFW will not be able to stop us and we’re just going to have a consistent victory.

Akron has been the top-ranked team in the nation for much of the season. How exciting is it to go out and play against a team that people believe can win a national championship?
I believe it’s very exciting because it’s a challenge for us to prove to people that we can stand a chance against someone who could be national champs. It’s always a great feeling just to play against them, so a win would be great.

This year, you drew more than 1,000 fans for your showdown with Akron during the regular season, a UB record for attendance at a soccer match. How much fun is it playing in front of a crowd like that?
It’s beautiful. It was great to know that we had more than 1,000 fans, but what was more heartfelt was that it was raining out. It was very windy. People still came out despite the harsh weather conditions and gave their full support. That was great.

This team has accomplished many things this season, becoming the first team in the nation to win 10 games and also becoming the first UB team since going DI to hold a national ranking. How much fun has it been playing this year?
It’s probably almost indescribable. The team is just a wonderful unit. They’re great people to be around and great to work with, the technical staff and the rest of the players. Just to know that we gel together so well and come together for this common goal of winning, believing in each other and believing we can do something great, it’s beyond normal.

This is a team that is extremely diverse, with players from six countries on the roster. What’s it like playing with so many guys with such different backgrounds?
One person made a comment one time that we’re basically one people, one culture and one team. All of us came from different places, guys from Down Under, guys from England, guys from the Caribbean and guys from the US, and we all come together and play together. We have one common understanding that we must work together despite our differences to achieve this goal.

As a junior, you were injured late during the season after the team started 6-0-1. Still, UB won its first MAC playoff game and made it to the conference semifinals. What were some lessons you took from last year?
I think last year, we knew that the same mistakes we definitely couldn’t make again. Last year, we definitely tried to correct it late in the season, but this year, we definitely tried to straighten out our overall play on the field. We just worked harder towards getting to where we are right now.

You transferred in after your sophomore year from St. Francis (NY) College to a team that won one game in 2003. What did you see on the Bulls that really made it the right fit for you?
The thing is this is a different level at UB. The players here are probably more comfortable with each other, more technical, I guess. I think UB was better than us at that time. We played them in a preseason game and they beat us and I just liked how the team was playing. Even though they didn’t do well that season, they did play well. Their record doesn’t say anything about how the team actually was performing.

What is the key to winning a 50/50 ball in the air without being called for a foul?
As the great Pele once said, “You have to be first. You have to jump first.” When I was a kid, I always remembered he said that. Jump first.

You got the chance to represent Trinidad & Tobago in an Under-17 game against Jamaica. What was that experience like?
It was great to play in a stadium full of fans. People cheering against you. It’s a great feeling to be in that atmosphere, being around the international level of play. It’s just superior to college, it doesn’t come close to it.

What has been your favorite moment as a student-athlete at the University at Buffalo?
It has to be being around the guys this year. Seeing the growth level of the team because we grew a lot from the 2004 season to this season. We definitely grew a lot. It’s nice to see the maturity of the other guys over the past year. I’ve only been here for two years, but it’s nice to see a lot of guys mature and fit in their roles. The coaching staff has done a great job. I’m just loving everything about the team right now.

- The “10 Questions with…” feature is compiled by Joe Guistina.