Providence benefitting from transfers of Aviza, Davock, Smith

Trevor Davock on the dribble in Providence's opener against UMass Lowell. (Stew Milne)

The NCAA transfer portal has been online for nearly a year, and it’s already paying off for the Providence College men’s soccer team.

The Friars (1-1) have added three players for 2019, all of whom have strong roots in New England: redshirt goalkeeper Austin Aviza (Medway, Mass.), redshirt forward Trevor Davock (Medway, Mass.) and junior forward Davis Smith (Amherst, Mass.). Since they didn’t transfer in-conference – Aviza from UConn, Davock from Boston College and Smith from UMass – there’s no mandatory waiting period on the sidelines.

Rather, they've all slotted right into Providence’s starting XI, with Aviza shutting out UMass Lowell and Davock and Smith posting one goal and two assists each.