Goalkeeping and a stout back four have been the calling cards of the Boston University men’s soccer team as of late, but the midfield firmly asserted its importance in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Loyola University Maryland.
After being thoroughly frustrated in possession in the first half, BU (8-2-1, 3-0-1 Patriot League) made plenty of adjustments by the time the second stanza rolled around.
Through the probing efforts of freshman midfielders T.J. Butzke and Magnus Benediktsson, Loyola’s (1-8-2, 0-3-1 Patriot League) otherwise stout defense was breached. Through balls, off-the-ball movement and urgency all became pillars of BU’s attacking intent.
“You just have to play the ball faster and we didn’t really get around to doing that until we conceded,” said freshman midfielder Adam Wright. “During halftime, coach really emphasized going at people and hitting balls into each other and I think it showed in the second half.”
Specifically, Wright was referring to moments when the Terriers finally got the best of Greyhound goalkeeper Matt Sanchez. Senior midfielder Richie Robinson struck first in the 63rd minute, and freshman midfielder Nicki Wieners capped the efforts in the 74th minute.
Robinson’s and Wieners’ strikes were moments of individual brilliance, but more significantly they were the culmination of BU outclassing Loyola from a tactical perspective. In the center of the park, Robinson, Butzke and Benediktsson each took turns marauding forward, all while the others maintained defensive shape.
“The balance is definitely important because you don’t want to play with two separate teams on offense and defense,” Robinson said. “The game would be a lot more spread out, so I think defensively we have to keep up the defensive work with keeping the backs and forwards together.”
As impressive as BU’s central midfielders were, the wide midfielders also left a lasting impression on the match. Wieners’ game-winning strike came from the right wing, and Wright assisted on Robinson’s tying goal from the left wing.
Junior winger Mark Wadid, Wright and Wieners displayed a willingness to dribble past their defender and then combine atop the penalty box. They also switched sides as the game dictated, thus throwing off Loyola’s defensive solidarity.
“Mark played on the left wing last game, so it came naturally to him and he told me to stay over on the right,” Wright said. “I did the best I could and tried to make the most of it. We did okay with the switching. The midfield was a little rough in the beginning, but once we got into the groove we were clicking.”
Perhaps most importantly, though, BU coach Neil Roberts’ side struck all the right chords without the reassuring presence of sophomore midfielder David Amirani.
The Brooklyn, New York, native may only have one goal and one assist on the year, but his impact cannot be understated. Through an imposing frame and attacking mindset, Amirani is arguably one of the most complete midfielders in the Patriot League.
The midfield unit collectively limited the impact of Amirani’s absence, but it was Robinson who shone the brightest. He tallied his first goal of the year, broke up attacking forays from Loyola and repeatedly jumpstarted BU’s counterattacks.
In what was probably his best performance of the year, Robinson showed exactly why he was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 5.
“I feel I’ve come on strong,” Robinson said. “Not to be cocky or anything, but I feel a lot more comfortable back there with helping the guys out and our good cohesion. I’m pretty happy about everything.”
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
