Despite registering only one shot on goal in regulation time, the Boston University men’s soccer team prevailed with a 1-0 overtime win against America East opponent Stony Brook University on Saturday.
“It was a game that we never really got control of, but we kept fighting and we kept defending and we kept keeping ourselves in the game,” said BU coach Neil Roberts. “It wasn’t our best performance, but it was a fantastic effort and the guys kept hanging in there.”
Freshman forward Dominique Badji broke the tie in the 99th minute when he headed in a cross from sophomore midfielder Anthony Ciccone. It was Badji’s third goal of the season, all of which have come off headers, and his second game-winner.
“It feels awesome. You can’t compare that feeling to anything else,” Badji said.
The golden goal was the first for BU (7-6, 3-1 America East) since Oct. 31, 2009, when then-junior defender Matthew Shea netted the game-winner over Albany.
It looked as if the Terriers had downed Stony Brook (6-5-3, 2-1-1 America East) one minute before Badji’s goal when he headed in a cross from senior midfielder Stephen Knox. The celebration had just started when the assistant referee called the goal off because the ball had gone out of bounds just before Knox could cross it into the box.
“When they took one goal away [Badji] just went back and got another one,” Roberts said.
While BU’s offense struggled to get shots throughout regulation, the Stony Brook forwards created several opportunities. If it weren’t for freshman goalkeeper Nick Thomson’s impressive play, the Terriers would not have had a chance to get the win.
Thomson has only given up one goal in the past five games, and averages only 0.74 goals-against per game. While the defense has played well around him, the Cramlington, England native has had a lot of action. With four saves Saturday night, Thomson now has a total of 39 saves on the season.
“I’ve felt really, really comfortable out there the past couple of games,” Thomson said. “I am trying to work on things in training, and it’s getting there.”
Knox ended the first half with a great scoring chance in which he dove for a header but collided with Stony Brook goalkeeper Stefan Manz and injured himself on the play. He was okay, and midway through the second half he came back, eventually tallying a shot on goal in overtime.
The Terriers have only been to overtime in one other game this season, and it resulted in a loss to Seton Hall University. Badji had scored his first goal in that game, but Seton Hall was able to tie the match up in the second half, and win the game with a goal in the 96th minute.
With the win, the Terriers have now won two-consecutive matches, and five of their last six. Stony Brook figures to be close to the top of the conference with BU when the regular season is over, so earning three points against the Seawolves was crucial.
The Terriers are currently last in the America East in goals-scored this season with 11. BU’s offense, while it did come through in the end, has to score more goals if the team is going to win the America East this year, according to Roberts.
“We have got to figure out a way to become dangerous,” Roberts said. “At my age we can’t go on with 1-0 games. We have got to figure out a way to score some goals.”
Up next for the Terriers is Boston College. BC is the final non-conference game of the season for the Terriers, and should be a good test in preparation for the final three America East games.
“It’s BU vs. BC, so it is big,” Roberts said.
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