After a streak of five consecutive games in which the Boston University men’s soccer team was unable to come up with a win, the team finally won its first game at home against The College of the Holy Cross on Tuesday by a score of 4–0.
The Terriers played some real nail-biters in its five-game winless streak.
They played three overtime games, two of which ended in a tie and one of which resulted in a 1–0 defeat.
Against No. 1 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BU came up just short, losing the match 2–1.
However, this game against an unranked Holy Cross team was expected to be an easier matchup, as their play throughout this young season would indicate.
Coming into the game, Holy Cross was struggling on the defensive side of the ball, allowing an average of two goals per game.
The Crusaders’ offense, led by forward Joshua Cintas and his three goals in five games, had better luck, as they averaged 0.75 goals per game.
The Terriers knew this matchup was a good opportunity to finally put some balls in the back of the net.
It was expected, with the injury to freshman defender Jeroen Blugh in the game against Brown University, that the defense’s adjustment would be a big factor in the match.
Blugh was a becoming the focal point of the defense after America East Defender of the Year Kelvin Madzongwe tore his ACL.
Sanford Spivey was slated to start at defense in order to replace the injured Blugh.
However, the real surprise of the match was how little BU’s defense was tested.
Right from the get-go, the Terriers’ midfielders and forwards consistently controlled the ball.
The impressive ball security led to some good scoring chances, including a free kick just outside the penalty box from senior midfielder Michael Bustamante in the 12th minute that sailed just above the cross bar.
In the 28th minute, BU’s consistent offensive pressure finally paid dividends, as Bustamante knocked one into the net off of a cross from junior midfielder Anthony Ciccone.
It was the team’s first goal since the team’s Sept. 9 tie with the University of Connecticut and Bustamante’s first since Oct. 30, 2010.
BU coach Neil Roberts said it was well deserved.
“The first goal we got was a pretty good one,” Roberts said. “It was the result of a lot of hard work, which is good to see.”
The Terriers did not go back to their usual conservative style of play after the first-half goal.
In fact, they continued to attack, playing their most aggressive game of the season so far.
Bustamante nearly had his second goal of the game in the 43rd minute when he ripped a shot from inside the box that sent opposing goalie Michael Thompson diving to make the save.
BU’s second goal proved to be the most crucial, as it came with only 13 seconds remaining in the first half.
Junior forward Ali Sozeri sent a ball towards redshirt freshman forward Mac McGuire, who took it past two defenders down the left side and sent it home for his first collegiate goal.
“That second goal at the end of the half, it was tough [for Holy Cross],” Roberts said. “It happened to us against St. John’s. It’s tough in the locker room after that.”
After the goal, it was not a surprise that the second half brought much of the same play from both teams.
Holy Cross made a substitution at goalkeeper, subbing in freshman Kevin Wright for Thompson, but neither goalie could stop the relentless pressure of BU’s offense.
In the 55th minute, the Terriers scored once again on a tic-tac-toe passing play.
After sophomore midfielder Cameron Souri made a fantastic play to keep the ball in the offensive zone, he dribbled down the left side towards the penalty box and left the ball behind him for Ciccone.
Ciccone then sent the ball through the box, past a couple of defenders, and right onto the foot of McGuire, who put it in to the left of the goalkeeper.
The goal gave BU a 3–0 lead and put McGuire in the team lead for goals this season with two.
“It was amazing,” McGuire said. “I mean, I don’t even know what to think right afterward. Just too happy.”
However, the Terriers were not done yet. Bustamante hit the post off of a free kick in the 69th minute, after which the team almost notched its fourth goal of the night as a scrum ensued in the goal crease.
In the 80th minute, redshirt freshman Parker Powell made this night a historic one for BU as he tapped the fourth goal of the night, his second of the season, past Wright for a 4–0 BU lead.
It was the first time since Oct. 30, 2010, that the Terriers scored four goals in one game. That performance came against the University at Albany and was the same game in which Bustamante scored his last collegiate goal before tonight.
“It’s nice to score goals — goals are always good to have,” Roberts said.
The game was the only regular-season matchup with a Patriot League opponent the Terriers will have this year.
With the blowout victory in favor of BU, the game certainly bodes well for the Terriers in their future conference.
“Yeah, I like the Patriot League,” Roberts said with a smile after the game.
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