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ESTERO — When second-year Florida Gulf Coast University men’s soccer coach Bob Butehorn scheduled a game at Ohio State last year for this season’s opener, he didn’t know exactly what he was getting his team into: a game against the national runner-up and defending Big Ten champion that returns seven starters.

“For me, it’s something that I didn’t think was going to be as good as it is,” Butehorn said of tonight’s 7:30 Wolstein Classic matchup in Columbus, Ohio. “I’m really excited because (the freshman-heavy Eagles are) going to play their first college game against the national runner-up. ‘Wow, we played at that level, and now we know where we’re supposed to go, where we’re heading.’ And it’s going to give them a real quick look at it. This should be a really good educational opportunity.”

Despite having no upperclassmen and 19 freshmen on a team picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Sun Conference, that doesn’t mean Butehorn expects the Eagles to get schooled tonight. After all, FGCU began it’s first-ever season last year with a stunning 3-2 win at Coastal Carolina and tied A-Sun champ (and this season’s favorite) Campbell while going 8-10-1 overall and 3-5-1 in conference play.

“We won’t lose 12-1,” Butehorn said. “I’m not terrified of that. I’ve been in the game long enough to know what I get myself into and how to go about it. Will we lose? I don’t know. Will we win? I don’t

know. But I know I wouldn’t go into games like that if I felt it was only going to be a learning opportunity.”

Although his roster is green, Butehorn’s system has taken root. Sophomores like goalkeeper Adam Glick (who is almost fully recovered from a twice-broken pinkie finger) and forward Anthony Forde — both named to the Atlantic Sun’s all-freshman team — have helped with a carryover.

“The nice thing is we’ve got guys returning, and we put a system in place and they became mentors to the younger guys,” Butehorn said. “Those returning kids have really put a good effort into understanding what we did the first year and the importance of the little things we do and doing them right. It’s different in that regard. We’re trying to grow something they have a vested interest in.”

With freshmen defender Kevin Ante and midfielder Cristian Raudales, both named to College Soccer’s “100 Freshmen to Keep an eye on in 2008,” the Eagles have enough talent to kick around the idea of a winning season. Maybe even enough to crack the Buckeyes a bit.

“They’re a young group, but I was just telling them the other day, they’re coming together nicely,” Butehorn said. “I like their ambition. Obviously they don’t know what Division I’s like yet, but I like the way they’re approaching things. I’m very pleased where we are, but I know we have a long way to go.”

Team defense and offensive speed are the areas Butehorn has been working on the hardest. But he likes his team’s with-the-ball skills.

He also likes its youth. He considers it an advantage of sorts and even referred to it when asked this team’s strengths.

“They don’t know that they don’t know,” Butehorn said. “ ‘We don’t know who Ohio State is. We’re just going to go in and play hard.’ ”

* * *

2008 FGCU men’s soccer schedule

Bert and Iris Wolstein Classic

(at Columbus, Ohio)

Friday vs. Ohio State 7 p.m.

Sunday vs. Penn State 1 p.m.

Mayor’s Cup XXXIII

(at Oneonta, N.Y.)

Sept. 5 vs. Hartwick College 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 7 vs. Syracuse Noon

---

Sept. 12 Seattle University 7 p.m.

Embassy Suites Classic

(at FGCU Soccer Complex)

Sept. 19 Holy Cross 7 p.m.

Sept. 21 Fairfield 7 p.m.

---

Sept. 28 Florida International 7 p.m.

Oct. 2 at Mercer* 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 at Campbell* 7 p.m.

Oct. 11 Stetson* 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 North Florida* 6 p.m.

Oct. 18 Jacksonville* 1 p.m.

Oct. 24 at Belmont* 7 p.m.

Oct. 26 at Lipscomb* 1 p.m.

Oct. 31 East Tennessee State* 7 p.m.

Nov. 2 So. Carolina Upstate* 7 p.m.

Nov. 8 Florida Atlantic 7 p.m.

*=Atlantic Sun Conference match