The Boston University men’s soccer team enters tomorrow’s game at the University of Rhode Island in an unfamiliar position: coming off a loss.
The Terriers (4-2-1, 0-0-0 America East), who ended a four-game winning streak with a loss Wednesday at Boston College and have not lost a game this month, will attempt to start a new streak tomorrow in Providence.
The Rams (4-3, 0-0 Atlantic Ten) come in riding high, winning their last four games. After starting with three straight losses to national powers such as the University of Maryland, and the University of Virginia, Rhode Island has played well as of late, including shutout wins over Harvard University and Providence College.
The Terriers will have to contend with a Rams team that is not just hot on the attack, but whose defense has not allowed a goal in more than 220 minutes of action. Junior goalkeeper Michael Charles has tallied 12 saves in his last three games, while his offense has scored 16 goals during the five-game win streak.
Even with the Terriers’ recent win streak, their offense hasn’t exactly been on fire. Averaging just over one goal per game, four games have been decided by one goal, including three BU wins and the loss to BC.
Rhode Island marks the only game against an unranked team in this four-game stretch for BU. But that doesn’t mean that it will be any easier. The Rams finished the 2001 regular season with the best record in the Atlantic 10, and claimed the top seed in the conference tournament. They were unable to finish, however, falling to the University of Richmond in the semifinals. Rhode Island had won the conference tournament championship in 1999 and 2000.
BU will need a strong performance out of its supporting cast in order to be successful. Junior Andy Dorman seemed to be involved in every play on Wednesday against BC, but was fortunate that the slow pace allowed him to recharge. Against Rhode Island, he will need his teammates to step up and help out.
While BU coach Neil Roberts called Wednesday’s performance the best his team has played despite their 2-1 loss, he said he was still looking for ways to improve.
The Terriers will return home next week for another big non-conference game, against No. 14 University of San Diego. After that game, the Terriers will finally begin their America East schedule, with a home game two days later against the State University of New York at Binghamton.
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