The men’s soccer team (1-2-1 Patriot League, 4-4-3 overall) came from behind to claim an important point on the road on Saturday in a tie against Boston University (1-1-2 Patriot League, 1-3-8 overall).
It was the first meeting between the Terriers and the Leopards since the Patriot League conference final match last year, in which Boston claimed the title.
“We definitely came in thinking about what happened last year,” sophomore forward Roy Biegon said. “That feeling we had after the final whistle was the worst feeling ever, so we came to win.”
The Leopards found a good chance in the 26th minute when senior forward Lawrence Aydlett’s shot struck the post.
However, the first half saw the Terriers as the better of the two teams, outshooting the Leopards by eight shots to two and forcing senior goalkeeper Griffin Huff into three first-half saves.
The Terriers snuck past Huff in the 39th minute, scoring from a free kick that curled around the Maroon and White wall and inside the far post to give Boston a 1-0 lead going into the half.
According to senior midfielder Carter Houlihan, head coach Dennis Bohn’s halftime talk was crucial for getting the team back on track.
“He told us to show character, show some heart and some pride and the chances are going to come,” Houlihan said.
The Leopards looked like a different team in the second half, wrestling control of the game back in their favor by outshooting the Terriers eight to four and forcing their opponent to commit twelve fouls in the second half.
“It was a tale of two halves,” Houlihan said. “When the second half started, it seemed right away that we had more of the momentum.”
Despite their domination, the Leopards had to wait for their reward until the 87th minute.
Aydlett held the ball up under pressure from two Boston defenders before finding a reverse pass that sent Houlihan down the right wing. Houlihan raced onto the ball and delivered a chipped cross into the penalty area.
“We have a lot of goal threats in the box,” Houlihan said. “I knew I had to put it in the air to have a better chance of one of our guys getting there.”
His cross would find the head of Biegon, who tucked his header into the back of the Terrier net. According to Biegon, the combination with Houlihan was an offensive play that the team had drilled in practice.
“I was 100% sure where the ball was going to go, and I just got there in time,” Biegon said.
The goal was the last major action of the game, and the two sides finished level. The Leopards have now collected four points from their last two games, a marked improvement after opening Patriot League play with two losses.
“We hadn’t really had a set starting 11 until Army,” Biegon said. “A few of the first team players had picked up injuries and were on and off. Now, we’re settled in and ready to take on the next team.”
The Leopards return home Saturday night for a match against Holy Cross (1-2-1 Patriot League, 2-7-3 overall). Both teams will enter the game on four points and outside of the playoff place, making it a critical game for the Leopards to grab three points.
“We’ve had great moments here and there, but we’ve got to put a full match together with those great moments,” Houlihan said. “I think we’re really capable of that and we’re so close to it. I think Holy Cross will be a great test of that.”
