The Boston University men’s lacrosse team could not have imagined a more ideal beginning to its season, with the first 4-0 start in program history bookended by a thrilling upset 8-7 victory over then No. 17 Navy on Saturday afternoon.
Now, the Terriers (4-0, 1-0 Patriot League) finally return home to Nickerson Field for a bout against Bryant University on Tuesday night, their first regular season game in front of the BU faithful.
The trip to Annapolis, Maryland represented the Terriers’ inaugural crack at a Top 20 team in 2017, and the contest lived up to its billing. After trailing 7-5 at the beginning of the fourth quarter after coughing up a considerable 5-1 advantage, BU’s hopes at furthering their undefeated campaign seemed obsolete.
However, its flourishing offense responded in major fashion, with sophomore attacker Brendan Homire and junior midfielder Greg Farris combining to tie the game at seven goals apiece with just under two minutes remaining.
“Everyone feels good, and we are playing with confidence,” said BU head coach Ryan Polley. “It is nice to know that no matter the score, you can make plays and get yourself back into the game. To score those last three goals against a great program is certainly going to give us confidence.”
The comeback triumph preserved BU’s unblemished mark heading into their tilt against the Bulldogs, a game which marks the first meeting of the two squads in regular season play. While Bryant is just 2-2 on the season, its two losses have come by a combined two goals while its margin of victory is an impressive 13 goals.
“It’s great that we got our first [Patriot League] victory against one of the best teams in the conference,” Polley said. “But, Bryant, they don’t care that we beat Navy. They are going to want to come in here and use their momentum.”
Last Saturday, in their bout against the University of Hartford, who the Terriers demolished by a 12-5 margin, the Bulldogs offense erupted for 17 goals in a six-goal victory. Six of these scores came via senior attack Tucker James, who also contributed a trio of assists on the day.
Bryant’s formidable offense also features junior Cam Ziegler, who is tied for seventh in the country with a shot percentage of 60 percent. Ziegler scored four times against Manhattan College before racking up a hat trick to accompany his three assists in the win over Hartford (0-2), pushing his point total on the season to 17.
This tandem is a major reason why the Bulldogs rank 21st in the NCAA with 12 goals per game. However, Providence College was able to hold Bryant to just six scores in a 7-6 victory on Feb. 18, and the Terriers’ defense harbors a similar intensity to their Big East counterparts.
BU ranks fifth in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 6.75 goals per game, while goalkeeper Christian Carson-Banister is making his senior year a memorable one. Carson-Banister ranks third in the nation in save percentage (.675) and sixth in saves per game (13) while holding each of the Terriers’ first four opponents to eight goals or less.
“We just have to support our guys defensively,” Polley said. “They have been doing a good job against some good attack. Our in-close defense is playing really well. It comes down to team defense. It’s all about the seven guys out there, and not about the individuals. Following the game plan and making sure we are in the right position to play defense as a total unit [will be key].”
