WEST POINT, N.Y. – Despite nearly doubling Army West Point in shot attempts, the Boston University men’s soccer team dropped a 1-0 road decision in the Patriot League opener for both squads Saturday night.
The Terriers (3-2-0, 0-1-0 PL) totaled a season-high 14 shot attempts while limiting the Black Knights (3-1-2, 1-0-0 PL) to eight thanks in part to a 3-1 lead in corner kicks. However, Michael Guiry earned eight saves to help make Kelly Cooper’s 38th-minute goal the difference while also extending Army’s unbeaten streak to five contests, highlighted by home wins over Penn State (2-1) and Villanova (2-0).
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Army’s Jubril Bamgbala attempted the game’s first three shot attempts, including one saved by senior Ben Alexander at 4:51.
- Three minutes after sophomore Dylan Williams attempted BU’s first shot at 17:34, classmate Pharis Petrica had one blocked by Army’s backline.
- BU continued to apply pressure with a long service ball into the box that led to Petrica’s eight-yard header toward the box, but Guiry was in position for the cut in the 25th minute.
- Guiry smothered another shot from junior Andrea Di Blasio at 26:32 to keep the Terriers off the scoreboard.
- Army broke the scoreless deadlock in the 38th minute with a long throw-in into the box that Jack Meyer was able to head from inside the line closer toward the net for Cooper to head over Alexander for the 1-0 lead.
- In the second half, senior Alex Bonnington forced Guiry to make a cut at 47:50.
- As the teams went back and forth, BU sent a corner toward the other side of the box for senior Ethan Gill to rip toward the near post from 10 yards out.
- Guiry though was in position for the cut and came up with his eighth in the final minute for the shutout, as Gill sent a low ball toward the goal trying to connect with a Terrier for a point-blank shot.
GAME NOTES
- Both Di Blasio and Petrica led BU with three shots apiece, and Di Blasio tied Gill at two shots on goal.
- Both Petrica and junior Ben Mazza-Bergeron made their first career starts in the scarlet & white.
- All four corner kicks in the game took place in the second half of a physical game that featured a combined 25 fouls and seven yellow cards.
- The Black Knights snapped a three-game (0-2-1) winless streak in the series to improve to 5-10-4 all-time, as BU fell to 3-5-1 at West Point.
UP NEXT
- BU will return to Nickerson Field next Saturday (Sept. 20) to host Navy at 1 p.m.
- The Terriers are riding a six-game unbeaten streak (4-0-2) in the series and are 6-0-1 all-time at home.
- Last year, senior Quin DeLaMater scored in the 47th minute to lift BU to a 1-0 road win against the Midshipmen.
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