SLIPPERY ROCK — Transition is the key word for Slippery Rock University men's soccer this season.

The Rock is coming off a school-record 18 wins and a PSAC championship.

But three-time conference coach of the year Matt Thompson left for Lees-McRae (N.C.) College and PSAC Player of the Year Jeremy Deighton graduated.

Deighton scored 21 goals last season. No other SRU player scored more than six.

"This is a great campus with great facilities," said first-year coach Mike Bonelli. "It's a top-20 Division II program and I saw a chance to do some special things here.

"You have to adjust your system to your personnel. That was the first step," the new coach added. "Instead of 20-plus goals from Jeremy Deighton, we need five or six goals from six or seven different guys."

That transition is under way. "Special things" already are happening to The Rock program and Butler graduates Drew Donoghue and Blake McChesney are playing a part in it.

The pair played travel soccer together as 12-year-olds, they were teammates on WPIAL playoff teams at Butler and now they're starting at SRU.

The Rock is 4-0-1, having allowed only three goals and 16 shots in five games. SRU is ranked No. 9 in Division II, the highest national ranking in the program's history.

"It's early yet, but I'm very pleased with the play of both of those guys," Bonelli said. "Drew is playing a new center-midfield position for us and is winning a lot of head balls at the point of attack.

"Blake has played both outside backer positions and rarely makes a mistake. I couldn't be happier with both performances so far," he added.

McChesney is part of the only graduating class in Butler High history to reach the WPIAL boys soccer playoffs all four years. Donoghue lived in Charlotte, N.C., his freshman and sophomore years before returning to Butler.

Both came to The Rock primarily because of Thompson.

"He was our coach at Northern Steel and it seemed like a natural move for me," Donoghue said.

"He definitely had a big influence there," McChesney agreed.

Neither player started last season. Donoghue was a medical redshirt because of back problems and McChesney appeared in 12 games as a reserve.

"We're playing more of a possession game now," McChesney said. "We pushed a lot of longer balls ahead last year."

Donoghue said the team definitely is playing a more defensive-minded style.

"We sit back and counter what the opposition is trying to do," he said.

Whatever the method, it's working.

Bonelli was an assistant coach at four college soccer programs — Gettysburg, Lafayette, Northwestern and Wright State (Ohio) — before coming to The Rock.

He also coached McGraw High School in New York to a 16-2-1 record and No. 4 state ranking when he was 20 years old.

"I injured an ankle during my college career and got into coaching right away," Bonelli said. "I knew it was what I wanted to do.

"I can't take credit for (SRU's) No. 9 ranking. Matt Thompson's work in previous years got us ranked high this preseason. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't look at those rankings each week," he added.

SRU has 15 players back from last year's squad.

"The transition's been smooth with Coach (Bonelli)," Donoghue said. "He came in here and took charge right away. He wants to win. We all do."

Donoghue and McChesney figure they will.

"We want to do it again," McChesney said of winning the PSAC championship. "I want to go all the way to the NCAA championship. Why not?"