After a strong preseason in which it went 3-0, the NIU men’s soccer team is looking to get off on the right foot for their 2011 season opener against St. Louis Saturday evening.

“We had a great preseason and have been working really hard,” said Eric Luzzi, head NIU men’s soccer coach. “The quality of our game is far ahead of where we have ever been and we are looking to start the season off right.”

In order for the Huskies to be successful in their game against the Billikens, they’ll need to follow their game plan, Luzzi said.

“We need to do what we have been training for in practice and then go out and execute it on the field,” he said. “We used to be known exclusively as a defensive team, but now we want to attack on offense and impose ourselves on the other team.”

NIU senior midfielder/forward Finn Jor said he believes that everything needs to be spot on.

“We need to do all the little things right,” Jor said. “We just need to play our own game and not make careless mistakes.”

The Huskies will also have to handle a hostile environment in St. Louis.

“We have to be able to manage the environment,” Luzzi said. “We are going to be on the road, playing a good team and there will be a lot of people at the game. It is going to be intense but we are going to have to keep our composure and I believe we can do that.”

Jor has high expectations for the team.

“We expect nothing less than to win the game,” he said. “We feel that we are very prepared and we are excited to start the season.”