The Point Park University men’s soccer program is on track for improvement and is fostering an optimistic outlook for the 2010 season.Last season the men compiled a record of 1-1-15, and with minor adjustments made in early August have already begun inching toward success. The men’s team did not have any graduating seniors in the 2009 season, and therefore the roster has remained the same with the addition of a couple of new players.Shane Lucas, a senior at Point Park and the men’s team captain, believes that the team will improve from last year.”The balance and chemistry of our team [this year] is better,” Lucas said. “We have more depth on the team, a better attack and more chances to score goals.”The soccer team has been training since Aug. 14 and has had two scrimmages during the past week. On Aug. 24, the men’s team played Bethany College at home and added a 3-0 win to their record. The very same week on Aug. 29, they tallied another victory as they triumphed over Wheeling Jesuit University with a score of 2-1.Andres Escobar, a junior business management major and a sophomore in the soccer program from Medellin, Colombia, believes the preseason training camp went very well.”We did a lot of anaerobic work,” Escobar said. “And yes, we will improve [from last year] because we have more experienced players and a bigger roster.”According to men’s team Head Coach Jeroen Walstra, the new major assets to the team are defender Escobar, midfielders Brett Gwosden and Matt Dziak and Manuel Schneckenreither, new Austrian forward. Strong returning players from last year who are now eligible to compete in matches include the German Wido Sagerer and Austrian Alex Sala.”[Our main goal] is to go for playoffs,” Walstra said. “The only thing stopping us right now is injuries. Everyone is beat up and tired [from preseason], so they need their rest. Right now we will play bodies that can play.”Walstra described the new players as “strong and technical.” Gwosdan and Schneckenreither each scored goals in scrimmages while Sala also tacked a goal on the board against Wheeling Jesuit.Although the team was worn out from a rough two weeks, they managed to pull off two wins last week, setting their standards high for the upcoming season. Lucas and Walstra also both agreed that the team “played themselves fit” during the preseason rather than “running just to run.””We did a lot of just playing,” Lucas said. “Small-sided games, tactics, physical stuff and putting players in positions, different formations.”The general attitude from the men’s team is excitement, especially after the victories they pulled off last week. Escobar believes that the most important game to focus on this season is the one against Notre Dame University, while Walstra’s goals are to remain healthy, dominate the conference and earn a spot in the playoff race.  “Coming up next week, we play three games in four days,” Walstra said. “So hopefully we find time to recover.” The men’s soccer team’s roster this year has increased to 25 players, which provides Walstra with some depth on the bench. Lucas believes that Mitch Kellman, the freshman back-up goalie, is also an asset to the team as he is “a huge help with practice.” The season opener for the men’s team is at home this Wednesday, Sept. 1 at Franciscan University at 7:30 p.m. The men’s team hopes to carry their preseason victories into the regular season with the confidence that they will improve their record from last year.