When the members of the preseason America East Conference-favorite Boston University men’s soccer team looked at their schedule and saw the University of Hartford – expected to finish seventh, according to that same America East coaches poll – they probably thought it was a good way to end a four-game stretch of road matchups, and maybe even an easy addition to the win column.
But that’s on paper. When you factor in a less-than-satisfying 3-5 record entering the game and several injuries to key starters, the seemingly easy win turns into an early test for a young and inexperienced team.
With a late goal from freshman forward Dominique Badji, it was a test they passed as the Terriers out-lasted Hartford 1-0 Saturday.
“This was a good opportunity,” said BU coach Neil Roberts. “These are the kind of goals you have to score. There weren’t a lot of opportunities for either side, or least any clear ones, but that was a good one.”
The goal came off of a cross from the right side from sophomore midfielder Anthony Ciccone in the 78th minute of a scoreless tie. Badji headed in the eventual game-winner to give the Terriers (4-5, 1-0 AE) a 1-0 lead over the Hawks (3-6-2, 0-1 AE).
“Anthony beat the [last Hartford defender] and put a good service in, and Dominique made a good run and a good finish,” Roberts said. “It was a well-created, efficient goal.”
Badji’s second goal of the season moves him into a tie with sophomore midfielder Cameron Souri and senior midfielder Stephen Knox for the team lead in goals, and makes him the team leader in points with six.
Fresh off an arm injury that kept him out for most of last week, Roberts said he was planning to have Badji play “some time,” but Badji was forced into action when senior forward Ben Berube couldn’t play due to a quad strain. Badji played a total of 56 minutes.
“We used Dominique maybe a little bit longer than we had hoped to,” Roberts said. “I think he’s shown that he’s maturing as a forward.”
Berube’s absence was just one of two significant players BU was missing, as senior defender Colin Henry missed another game with a bad leg. But even without their anchor, the Terrier defenders had a strong game, permitting only four Hartford shots and zero corner kicks.
This is in large part thanks to the defense’s de facto upperclassman, sophomore Kelvin Madzongwe.
“It’s three freshmen and Kelvin back there, so Kelvin’s the one keeping things together,” Roberts said, “but the young kids are doing well right now.
“The whole team, I think, defensively fought hard, and we possessed the ball a little bit better than we had in the Harvard match. We possessed the ball well for being on the road in the first conference game.”
Madzongwe and the defense made things that much easier on freshman goalkeeper Nick Thomson, who recorded two saves in his second shutout of the season.
“[Thomson] was clean,” Roberts said. “He didn’t have a ton to do, but there were a lot of balls dropped into the box that I think he did a much better job than some of the earlier games.”
It wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for the Terriers though, as they still committed 15 fouls, one more than the Hawks’ 14, and received one yellow card. Roberts has harped quite a bit lately on his team’s tendency to foul, a habit he says the Terriers need to tone down. Saturday might have been a start.
“It was a little bit more than we wanted to. We probably should have had ten,” Roberts said. “The thing is, there was probably only one that was in a bad area. For a conference game it’s not bad.”
But with the win, it’s much easier for Roberts to look the other way on fouls, even if it’s just this one time. Given the condition of his team and the game’s situation, he’s more than happy to mark this game as a win.
“With the inexperience of our team right now, I thought it was good,” Roberts said. “We were trying to hold on to a one-goal lead on the road in the conference with six freshmen and three sophomores, so I think by that measure it was a good thing.”
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