The Boston University men’s soccer team takes fading but still feasible America East Tournament hopes to Nickerson Field tonight to face the University of Hartford.
The Terriers (7-5-3, 2-2-1) remain undefeated at home this season as they hope to notch yet another Nickerson victory against the fifth-place Hawks (5-10-0, 3-3-0). With just four teams advancing to America East Tournament action, the Terriers will have to hope for a strong performance down the stretch as they chase one of those spots.
Neither team goes into the match with any momentum, as both are winless in three straight games. In their last match, the Terriers were dominated by the University of New Hampshire in a 3-0 loss, as the scoring woes continued for the Terriers.
The Terriers have been outscored, 7-3, in their last four games and are slipping in a conference they were expected to dominate. But with three games remaining, including tonight’s match, the Terriers still control their own destiny in terms of making the playoffs.
The Hawks come into the match off a loss this past Saturday against the University of Vermont, 4-2. The Terriers will have to look out for forward Alon Lubezky, who scored both Hawks goals in the match. He notched the first goal for Hartford, converting a header off a free kick from midfielder Guy Primor in the 51st minute of play. He added his second goal off an assist from Primor again just a few minutes later. He leads the Hawks this season with 12 goals. Lubezky also scored both goals in Hartford’s win over the University of Maine on Oct. 12.
BU has been unable to finish near the net in its last few conference matchups, scoring only two goals in three games. However, senior goalkeeper Matt Smith has kept the scoring fairly low by opponents, as he still leads the conference in save percentage, shutouts and saves.
The team will look to Smith to carry the weight, especially at home as he has done all season. In eight home games this season, Smith has tallied three shutouts, 51 saves and has a 0.59 goals against average.
This is the 20th meeting between the two teams, with BU holding the advantage 13-5-1 and winning four of its last five matches. In the only meeting last year between the teams, the Terriers were able to pull through late and tally a 2-1 win in double overtime.
The Terriers will need to dominate the flow of the game as they have done in most matches this season, even in some losses, in order to pull out a win. While the defense and goaltending are seldom worrisome for this club, the three-goal showing by the University of New Hampshire last weekend was the second time this season the Terriers have allowed more than two goals.
BU has Nickerson Field on its side. While the Terriers haven’t lost a game there since last September, they have also outscored their opponents, 14-5, at home this season. In 2002, the Terriers are 6-0-2 at Nickerson, including wins over two top 15 teams. The last time BU went undefeated at home, 1994, it posted its best season in history including a No. 1 national ranking and a 19-1-1 overall record.
The Terriers should hope to score early, as they are 0-3-1 when they trail at the half. BU will have to play a strong, possession minded game in order to come out on top tonight. They will also have to look from the offensive spark they had in recent weeks at home from sophomore midfielder Federico Bianchi, junior midfielder Andy Dorman and junior defenseman Karl Ruegemer. Wins down the stretch are pivotal to the Terriers, who are currently out of a playoff spot, but still hold their own fate.
Three wins and they’re in. Anything else, and they’ll need some help.
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