Twelve or 13 hours on a cramped bus with The Dave Mathews Band’s twangy guitars playing the same songs 20 times through.

That’s what Syracuse men’s soccer defender Eric Chapman remembers about the Orangemen’s last trip to Virginia, a jaunt last year racked by post-Sept. 11 travel problems that kept SU grounded.

“We brought 20 movies,” Chapman said, “and ran through them all by the time the trip was over.’

This time around, the No. 23 Orangemen hope for an easier journey as they compete in the Nike/ALLTEL Soccer Classic this weekend at Virginia Commonwealth in Richmond, Va.

‘It’ll definitely be different circumstances from last year,’ Chapman said. “We’ll even enjoy the flight.”

Both SU and VCU open their seasons during tonight’s 8 p.m. match. The Orangemen continue the tournament Sunday with a 1 p.m. game against Coastal Carolina.

While the Orangemen insist they will arrive intense in their season-opening games, the opportunity for a lapse exists. Last season, Syracuse opened against Big East rival Boston College — and lost, 5-1.

This weekend’s games are two of the only three SU plays against out-of-state, non-conference foes. The other is a Sept. 18 contest at home against Loyola.

In past seasons, SU coach Dean Foti said, the top two teams from the New York region typically advance to the NCAA Tournament. A high conference finish could also bring a postseason berth.

Foti said the Virginia trip is always a bonding experience, but travelling for the first game is unusual. Instead of acclimating to campus during the first school weekend, the squad’s freshmen continue adjusting to new teammates.

During Syracuse’s preseason training, upperclassmen are required to room with underclassmen to improve team unity.

‘Tournaments are special because we all fly down together, we all hang out together,’ pre-season first-team All-Big East forward Kirk Johnson said. ‘We just try to stay light-hearted.’

The weekend should also allow the Orangemen to observe the newfound depth coaches lauded during the preseason. Foti said he expects at least five freshmen to contribute this season.

Alim Karim joins sophomores David Rabazzi and Rich Scheer on the goaltending carousel. Rabazzi and Scheer, who both made starts last year, entered the spring competing for the starting spot. During spring practices, though, Rabazzi broke his jaw, had it wired shut and lost 15 pounds, forfeiting the job to Scheer.

For the moment, at least.

Kalim arrived at preseason camp injured, and Scheer tore his MCL soon after, handing the job back to Rabazzi. With the trio healthy for the first time, Foti didn’t say who would start against Virginia Commonwealth.

‘It’s a wait-and-see thing,’ Foti said. ‘You end up having a great dual with three guys who make each other better. It’s gone from a weakness to a strength.’

Freshmen midfielders Ilias Calaitzidis, Mike McCallion and Jorge Rodriguez should all spell members of the five-man midfield, while rookie Jeff Evans will substitute at forward.

‘The thing is, they don’t have to start for us this year like they have in the past,’ Foti said. ‘We don’t have to put them under intense pressure in the first two weeks of the season.’

Published on August 29, 2002 at 12:00 pm