These are the games that can get you — those mid-October conference games against average squads that may allow you to overlook them.
The Boston University men’s soccer team welcomes Stony Brook University (7-4-2, 1-1-1 America East) to Nickerson Field tomorrow looking to reverse its mediocre start to its conference schedule.
Tied with Hartford University for fifth behind conference leaders the University of Maryland-Baltimore County and Binghamton University, a Terrier win tomorrow afternoon over a struggling Seawolves squad would assure a jump of at least two spots in the standings.
“They are a very good team. They’ve got some speed up front,” Roberts said. “They have a pretty solid backfield, but they tied UMBC and they are coming off a difficult loss. They are going to test us.”
With an emphasis placed on finishing, the Terriers (7-5-1, 1-1-1) will have one more practice this afternoon to bolster an offense that has failed on just over 45 percent of its scoring opportunities over the past four games. While BU remains 2-1-1 over the stretch, putting the last touch on its drives has put added stress on a defense that is still looking to find itself.
“Tomorrow we’re going to work on finishing,” said BU coach Neil Roberts. “We need to make sure we can get chances in the lanes and put them away. We need to keep the ball in their end.”
Playing with a noticeable inkling of cohesion between the back four, BU’s defense has surrendered six goals in its last eight games.
The Terriers’ success in the backfield rests on the leadership of senior back Derek Puerta. At 6-foot-2, Puerta has lent an emotional charge to a defense that let the opposition register seven uncontested goals over BU’s first eight games.
“Derek has done a great job for us,” Roberts said. “He has been very consistent as a player all throughout the year and he has helped calm the rest of the defense down. He has the experience back there, and it shows. Especially with [red-shirt sophomore goal keeper] Joe Cullaro.
“Joe’s been good,” Roberts added. “He has worked hard over the past two years and he was ready for the situation. The Albany game was a little helter-skelter for him, but he has calmed down and really held up for us.”
Since BU’s futile opening stretch, Puerta’s core defensemen have let opponents fire at the net just 21 times since the New York native’s first start against the University of Maine two weeks ago.