A dominant first half paved the way for the Boston University men’s soccer team’s 2-0 victory over Bucknell University at Nickerson Field on Saturday afternoon.
BU (3-3-6, 1-1-3 Patriot League) came into the contest winless in their last seven games and faced a Bucknell (2-10, 1-4 PL) team in similarly poor form. The Terriers earned their first win in PL play, earning three points in the conference.
The first fifteen minutes saw the Terrier attack running through fluid play offensively, mainly thanks to sophomore midfielder Brian Hernandez and senior defenseman Gianluca Arlotti.
However, senior midfielder Colin Innes struck first for the Terriers. He scored in the 19th minute after a roulette and some give-and-go passing with senior forward Quinn Matulis freed him up just inside the left corner of the penalty area. Innis sent a right-footed effort into the top-right corner of the goal.
“He’s been steady. He’s been consistent this entire season,” BU head coach Kevin Nylen said. “Showed good signs of maturity today.”
Matulis and the Terriers would strike again just four minutes later. A Bucknell foul led to a free kick and a perfect delivery from Matulis found senior defenseman Griffin Roach’s head at the near post for the first goal of his BU career.
“We wanted to come out and have a good start. We did. I think we created chances,” Nylen said. “It was good to come out with two good first-half goals. It wasn’t something that we needed to go search for the third. It was more important to keep it at two to zero.”
The second half saw the Bisons get back into the game a little more, sending in six shots toward the goal and limiting BU to just four. However, the Terrier back line stayed solid, and senior goalkeeper Francesco Montali wasn’t overly challenged with the chances that came his way.
“It was a good 90 minutes. We got stretched at times. That’s probably a little natural. That’s the first time we’ve been up two-nil this year,” Nylen said. “Overall, that was a job that needed to take place today, and I’m glad that we got the three points.”
BU will continue PL play when they head to Baltimore to take on Loyola University Maryland next Saturday at 1 p.m. The Terriers currently sit in eighth in the Patriot League heading into the final five matches of the regular season. The Terriers, just four points behind first-place teams American University and the United States Military Academy, can still make the playoffs. BU can also still earn home-field advantage for at least one round of the postseason.
