After just one conference game – the first game at its Nickerson Field home since Sept. 4 – the Boston University men’s soccer team hits the road once again to take on Atlantic-10 opponent UMass-Amherst today at 3 p.m. in search of the team’s third win of the season.
The 2-4-1 Terriers (0-0-1 America East) hope to kick-start a winning streak against the 3-5-0 Minutemen (0-0-0 A-10), who have dropped their last two match-ups, 2-0, to Harvard University and then-No. 23 University of New Hampshire.
Their last time out, the Terriers opened conference play with a disappointing double-overtime 1-1 draw against the University of Maine. But BU coach Neil Roberts said what’s done is done, and the team isn’t dwelling on it.
“It’s really just over,” Roberts said of his team’s view on Saturday’s tie. The Minutemen and the Terriers have met 34 times since their first outing in 1951, and UMass holds the 18-12 advantage, with four ties to date. Each team has taken five in the last 10 match-ups.
But BU owns the latest victory, winning 1-0 last year in overtime off a Sedrick Chin (1 goal, 2 assists in 2005) goal that sailed into the top corner.
“[UMass is] always difficult at home,” Roberts said. “But we’re more concerned about what we do.”
Nonetheless, the Terriers should be wary of the Minutemen squad and its daunting Rudd Field record. Since the facility opened in 2002, UMass boasts a 20-9-2 overall record at home and has outscored its opponents 85-40. That’s a .700 win percentage. And this year’s team has added nine to the Rudd Field scoring total over eight games.
On the other hand, maybe the outing will be BU’s opportunity to finally click, particularly on offense. Because despite UMass goalie Zach Simmons’ 42 saves this season, the Minutemen have let up 11 scores for a 1.36 goals-against average. Currently, the duo of Terrier goalkeepers (juniors Chad Comroe and Zach Riffett) sport a combined 1.63 GAA. “I think they’ll sit back and try to counter-attack,” Roberts said of the Minutemen’s strategy. “They’ve got a couple of fast runners up top.”
Roberts acknowledged the probability that the lofted ball will be prominent, as UMass may try to use this style of attack in conjunction with its swift-footed scorers to surpass the strong BU defense.
But the Terriers have weapons of their own, including America East Rookie of the Week, freshman midfielder Neil Hlavaty.
“He’s been playing well the last three or four games,” Roberts said of his rookie starter. “[He’s] just gonna get better. There will be a lot of honors for him down the road.”
Hlavaty is tied to lead the BU squad in goals (2, tied with senior Jamie Johnson), points (5, tied with Johnson) and shots (10, tied with senior Sedrick Chin and sophomore Roland Erlichman). All five of Hlavaty’s points have come off game-winning or game-tying goals. Matty LeMire leads the Minutemen, netting three.
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