A few passing clouds. Low 51F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

A few passing clouds. Low 51F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.

This isn’t how the year was supposed to start.

The UNH men’s soccer team entered the 2022 season on the heels of a run to the Sweet 16 last fall and with a No. 9 preseason national ranking.

It has come apart early as the Wildcats opened the season with a 2-1 loss at nationally ranked Maryland before following it up with a head-scratching 1-0 loss at home to Boston University on Sunday.

“The sun will rise tomorrow, and we’ll get back in and reset,” UNH coach Marc Hubbard said after the BU game. “I think that we’re still trying to feel ourselves out. While we have a lot of returners, (we’re) still trying to find time for new guys and reward that and see how they fit into the puzzle. It’s going to take some time. I’m definitely not happy to be 0-2, and I don’t think I’ve been 0-2 in my life. Definitely a moment for me to reflect on as well.”

The Wildcats have had this week off and will get back on the field Saturday night when they host Virginia Commonwealth. They’ll need it to rebound from a frustrating outing against the Terriers.

UNH dominated the game, outshooting BU 23-3 and earned 18 corner kicks to the Terriers’ one. The dominance in possession would not turn into goals, however, or even many concrete chances on goal. Despite the 23 shots, UNH put only five on goal — and all were all stopped by BU goalie Francesco Montali.

The goal came in the 78th minute when a lucky bounce off a UNH defender, combined with a few other Wildcats being caught flat-footed, allowed Ryan Lee to dart into the box and fire one into the top corner of the goal.

“Tonight we created 18 corners, pinned a team in,” Hubbard said. “A really awful mistake in the back cost us the game. You can’t make mistakes like that, any team will punish you. Now that there’s no OT (in the college game), it kind of creeps up on you and starts affecting your confidence a little bit.”

The losses have dropped UNH like a rock in the United Soccer Coaches top-25 poll. Not only have the Wildcats dropped out, but they didn’t receive a single vote in the newest rankings that came out on Tuesday.

It’s still early in the season. The Wildcats have 14 more games on the schedule and play three of their next four in the friendly confines of Wildcat Stadium, a place where they’ve lost only three times in 53 games.

“Certainly being knocked out of the top 25 will be a little bit of uncharted territory for these guys,” Hubbard said. “They’re going to have to be able to come out and learn from it, grow, and do better next time.”

Hubbard has a veteran team. Multiple players have three or more years in the program, like Bilal Kamal, Jonny Wolf and Concord native Chris Pinkham.

Hubbard said he thinks the squad will right the ship and learn from the early defeats.

“These are those reminders that you can’t take anyone lightly, you can’t take plays off,” Hubbard said. “It doesn’t matter what team it is. We’ve got to go back and be better in our attack, be better in all areas. I think that will come with time, for sure.”

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