Missed opportunities plague m. soccer

The Boston University men’s soccer team’s four-game winning streak came to an end last night, as it battled the University of Vermont to a 1-1 draw at Nickerson Field.
Junior midfielder Tom Strackhouse gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute, but Catamount forward T.J. Gore evened the game in the 62nd minute.
The tie opened the door for the University at Albany to move into a first-place tie with BU (7-5-3, 4-1-1 America East), and the Great Danes did just that with a 2-1 victory over the University of Hartford. Both teams have 13 points, three more than Hartford and Binghamton University, with two games left in the regular season.
The Terriers controlled the tempo throughout the first half, recording four shots on goal while not allowing Vermont to muster any. BU’s first quality scoring chance came in the 18th minute, when sophomore midfielder Aaron O’Neal sent a cross into the box that sailed over the head of junior forward Shaun Taylor.
Six minutes later, Taylor took a pass 10 yards out, spun off a defender and put a shot on goal that was knocked away by UVM senior goalkeeper Roger Scully.
BU finally capitalized on a corner kick at the 26:45 mark. Freshman midfielder Michael Bustamante sent the corner to the top of the box, where it found the foot of Strackhouse. Strackhouse then loaded up and put a shot inside the right post for his fourth goal of the season.
‘[Bustamante] put a good ball into the box,’ Strackhouse said. ‘Luckily, I was able to break free of my man and get a good shot off.’
Unfortunately for the Terriers, they could not add to their lead despite controlling play in the first half. In the second half, the game turned into a sloppy back-and-forth midfield battle, with neither team generating great opportunities.
‘We just couldn’t put the game away,’ Strackhouse said. ‘We should’ve put it away in the first half, but we missed our chances and let them get back in the game.’
The Catamounts made BU pay for letting them stick around with a fluky goal at the 61:56 mark. Gore brought the ball down the right side of the field, but was forced wide by senior back Dan Schultz.
Gore tried to send a cross into the box, but it deflected off Schultz’s foot, floated over BU senior goalie Hrafn Davidsson’s head and bounced off the far post and into the net.
‘I thought Schultz had him locked down,’ Davidsson said. ‘It was just pure luck. [Gore] was just trying to cross the ball, and it deflected off Schultz’s toe. It was hard to deal with because it just went so high.’
Vermont had a chance to end the game 1:45 into the first overtime. Gore sent a cross into the box where senior midfielder Jordan Crasilneck was left wide open for a header. But Davidsson made a diving save to his left to keep the game tied.
‘They probably should’ve scored on that play instead of the goal they got,’ Davidsson said. ‘They got a cross and someone forgot to pick up [Crasilneck]. He had a free header, and in that situation it’s just 50-50 if it’s going to be a goal or if you’re going to get the save.’
Both teams recorded one shot on goal in the second overtime period, but neither found the back of the net.