FLAGLER: Men’s Soccer Can No Longer Play the Underdog

‘The first goal is everything.’

That’s what BU men’s soccer coach Neil Roberts said after his team’s 1-0 victory over top-ranked St. John’s. Steven Knox’s goal in the 34th minute that put the Terriers ahead certainly was a huge reason they were able to defeat the Red Storm on Sunday. But it was a different play by Knox later in the game that really defined the Terriers’ season up to this point.

With about 30 minutes remaining and St. John’s turning up the pressure on BU’s back line, Knox went up for a 50-50 header near midfield and touched the ball out of bounds for a St. John’s throw-in.

Instead of turning up the field and jogging away, Knox continued trying to win the ball after it had rolled out of bounds. He was still kicking at it even when the Red Storm player attempted to pick up the ball for the throw in. When the Terrier finally gave in, he immediately began pressuring the throw-in, doing everything he could to irritate the St. John’s player and force a turnover. Finally, the referee blew his whistle, forcing Knox to retreat a few feet from the line and allow space for the throw.

Over the course of the game, it was a forgettable play compared to Knox’s earlier score or middle back Colin Henry’s late deflection of the potential tying goal. It had no direct effect on the result. But small plays like this showed the Terriers were not willing to sit back on their 1-0 lead and hope they could outlast a late St. John’s push.

Instead, the Terriers became the aggressors. They won more 50-50 balls than they should have against the bigger and stronger Red Storm. Goalie Hrafn Davidsson neutralized the Johnnies’ super-Scandanavian Sverre Wegge Gundhus by scooping up the balls that the St. John’s midfielders lofted for him in the box.

The Terriers’ complete lack of fear against the No. 1 team in the country allowed them to win.

Last year’s leading scorer, senior Shaun Taylor, went down in the 66th minute of a season-opening tie against the University of Massachusetts. It appeared that BU’s season could be over before it started, but instead the Terriers responded with two 3-0 wins against two Big East opponents, the University of Connecticut and Providence College.

Then, the Terriers dropped a 1-0 decision to Harvard University on Friday and responded with the big win at home versus St. John’s on Sunday.

It’s become clear that the 2009 team thrives on the underdog role. They are at their best when they have nothing to lose, they’ve been counted out and they think no one believes in them. What they have yet to prove is whether or not they can play the role of the favorite.

When the Terriers entered Ohiri Field on Friday to play Harvard, they were expected to win, but responded poorly.

Harvard outshot BU 10-3 in the first half. The Terriers gave up four corners and earned only two. Harvard forward Jamie Rees tallied what would end up being the deciding goal in the 44th minute. If it wasn’t for three saves by Davidsson, the deficit going into the half could have been worse.

Granted, BU responded well in the second half. They pushed for the tying goal and outshot the Crimson 16-6, but simply could not convert in their only loss of the season thus far.

I don’t want to discredit Harvard’s talent. The Crimson are off to a 4-0 start and are currently ranked one spot ahead of BU at No. 13 in the country. They are led by two of the best players in the nation. Senior forward Andre Akban was voted a preseason first team All-American, and sophomore goalkeeper Austin Harms has allowed just one goal this year.

Nor do I want to nitpick at what has been a fantastic start for the Terriers. Hopefully, the game will be looked back on as just a tough loss against one of the nation’s best teams, but it could represent a potential danger for BU going forward.

The Terriers have faced by far their toughest five opponents of the season in the first five games, as Roberts noted after BU’s win against St. John’s. Four of the five teams BU has played appeared in the NCAA Tournament last year. UConn and St. John’s both made the round of eight.

Meanwhile, just one of BU’s future opponents (Boston College) made last year’s tourney. None of the teams the Terriers will play the rest of the season are currently ranked. The only team in the America East conference to receive any points in the national polls is University of Maryland-Baltimore County, which has earned just two top-25 votes.

It’s clear that BU will be expected to win every time they step onto the field for the rest of the season. They are the team to beat in the America East. A win against BU turns an average season for an America East team into a special one.

For BU to have as much success in October and November as they’ve had early this year, they will have to play with the same intensity, passion and drive against teams that are out to get them as they have against teams that took them for granted.