Loss keeps BU in America East basement

It was the same song and the same beat for the Boston University men’s soccer team Wednesday night at Nickerson Field.

The Terriers (3-6-1, 0-1-1 America East) fell to Stony Brook University (6-2-3, 1-0-1), losing, 2-0, as BU was shut out for the sixth time in 10 games this season.

“We’re struggling offensively,” said Terrier head coach Neil Roberts. “We’re just trying to find the right combination using inexperienced kids that aren’t, maybe, ready to go yet, and we’re trying to force-feed them, basically.”

With sophomore Roland Erlichman sidelined, the Terriers moved forward Sedrick Chin into the midfield and rotated freshmen Dan Schultz, Jin Oh and junior Jarryd Goldberg up front in an attempt to rejuvenate the lagging offense.

But it was all for naught, as the Seawolves jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first half and added an insurance goal in the second for a 2-0 win.

Stony Brook senior back Zach Norwood capitalized on an advantageous bounce to net his first goal of the season in the 15th minute.

BU attempted to clear the ball from its defensive end, but the ball was deflected and landed at Norwood’s feet as the defender quickly settled the ball and blasted a shot from 25 yards out.

The ball beat Terrier goalkeeper Zach Riffett to the lower right corner, as Riffett got a late start on the shot.

“I got screened,” he said. “I didn’t see the ball until late, so I didn’t react until late.”

Riffett allowed two goals on the night but still played a very solid game for BU. He posted four saves, including three in one-on-one situations that kept the deficit down and gave BU a chance to stay in the game.

“Zach made some great saves,” said Roberts. “He deserved better.” In the 65th minute, Stony Brook sophomore Michael Palacio slipped past the BU defenders and found himself on the right side in the goal box, one-on-one with Riffett.

His shot hit a sliding Riffett and the rebound ricocheted to Norwood on the left, who tried to chip it into the open goal, but Riffett reached up and deflected the ball to keep the Seawolves to only one goal.

The Terriers nearly netted the equalizer with just over two minutes left in the first half when freshman midfielder Neil Hlavaty’s entry pass into the box almost found the back of the net.

Hlavaty lifted a cross into the box from the right side, but the spin on the ball carried it to the back left corner where Seawolves sophomore goalkeeper E.J. Xikis staggered back and managed to get a hand on the unexpected shot, falling into the goal.

But for the most part, BU struggled to generate genuine scoring opportunities and Stony Brook controlled the middle third of the field.

“We definitely wanted to pressure the BU midfield,” said Stony Brook coach Cesar Markovic. “We felt it was a key to game.”

Stony Brook put the match away in the 70th minute when Palacio received a pass from senior Chris Scarpati on the right side and beat Riffett for a two-goal cushion.

Things only got worse for the Terriers 15 minutes later, when freshman back Zach Bauer, making his first start of the season after missing the first eight games with a foot injury, left the field and did not return.

Bauer was marking a Stony Brook attacker when he fell to the turf, clutching the same foot that had kept him out of the first part of the season.

If Bauer isn’t ready to go against the University at Albany Saturday, the Terrier roster will be juggled once again.

Roberts had shaken up the lineup prior to last night’s game by not starting junior Felix Vincent for the first time this season.

“We wanted to try something different to get a spark going,” Roberts said. “We wanted to find something different that works for them.”

The Terriers need to find some sort of combination that will add some spice to an offense that is averaging fewer than one goal per game if the team is to live up to its preseason No. 1 America East ranking. So far this season, BU has tied a University of Maine team that was picked ninth and lost to a Seawolves team picked fourth.

Even though BU still has six conference games left and some teams have played three conference games rather than two, the Terriers currently find themselves in a position they never expected to occupy: dead last. The Terriers live in the conference basement with only one point.

But a win Saturday against the Great Danes would jump BU up three spots in the conference standings, and Riffett said the team is optimistic. “We’re going to surprise some people,” he said. “We’re not done yet.”