Men's Soccer to Close Regular Season on Wednesday
November 1, 2005 | Men's Soccer
The Boston University men???s soccer team (6-7-3 overall, 2-2-3 America East) travels to Binghamton (10-4-3 overall, 3-2-2 America East) for its final regular-season contest of the season on Wednesday (Nov. 2) at 1:00 p.m. A rematch of last year???s conference championship in which BU topped Binghamton in a shootout, the game has major playoff implications.
A BU win would clinch fourth place in the conference for the Terriers and a chance to host in the first round of the America East tournament. In contrast, a tie would guarantee them a spot in the tournament, but would take away the opportunity to host, and a loss has the potential to end the team???s season.
The Terriers are coming off a 3-0 loss to the America East leader UMBC in extremely winter-like conditions last Saturday (Oct. 29), which snapped a season best six-game unbeaten streak. On the other hand, the Bearcats have played to 1-1 double overtime ties in both of their last outings, first versus Albany on Oct. 22, then at Hartford on Oct. 29. Coincidentally, Albany and Hartford represent both of BU???s conference wins and join the Terriers in making up three of the four teams fighting for the two remaining spots in the conference tournament.
The Terriers and Bearcats have faced off just four times in program history and BU holds the 2-0-2 (.750) all-time advantage. Binghamton has yet to defeat the Terriers and had not scored a goal against BU until the teams??? last meeting in the 2004 America East championship game. Prior to the conference finale last season, the Terriers shut out the Bearcats 3-0 in 2002, 0-0 in 2003 and 2-0 in 2004. In the championship game, the teams battled to a 2-2 tie before BU won the title in a penalty-kick shootout, 5-3.
Senior Sedrick Chin (St. Mary, Jamaica) holds the Terrier club lead in scoring with four goals and four assists for 12 points in 16 games. Junior goalkeepers Chad Comroe (Dallas, Texas) and Zach Riffett (Brenham, Texas) have split time in net throughout the season. Comoe holds a 1.36 goals-against average and a 1-5-0 record, while Riffett is 5-2-3 with a 1.28 GAA. Senior back Matt Cross (Pembroke, Mass.) will sit out the game at Binghamton after receiving a red card in the final minute of play on Oct. 29. It will be the first time in 63 games that he will not be in the lineup, and the first time in 62 games that he will not be a starter.
The Terriers and Bearcats will square off at 1:00 p.m. in Vestal, N.Y.
PLAYOFF SCENARIOS
If the Terriers WIN, they make the the playoffs and host???
- BU is guaranteed fourth place and will host Binghamton on Saturday (Nov. 5) at 7:00 p.m. in playoffs.
If the Terriers TIE, they make the playoffs, but will not host???
- If Hartford ties or loses, BU is guaranteed fifth place and will play at Binghamton in playoffs. - If Hartford wins, BU is guaranteed sixth place and will play at Vermont in playoffs.
If the Terriers LOSE, either Albany or Hartford must lose or tie its game for BU to make the playoffs and the Terriers will not host???
- If Hartford loses and Albany either ties or loses, BU is guaranteed fifth place and will play at Vermont in playoffs. - If Hartford loses and Albany wins, BU is guaranteed sixth place and will play at Binghamton in playoffs. - If Albany loses and Hartford ties, BU is guaranteed fifth place and will play at Vermont in playoffs. - If Albany loses and Hartford wins, BU is guaranteed sixth place and will play at Binghamton in playoffs. - If both Albany and Hartford win, BU is guaranteed seventh place and will not make the playoffs.
Games remaining that will affect the Terriers??? outcome:
Boston University at Binghamton ??? Wednesday @ 1 p.m.
Hartford at New Hampshire ??? Wednesday @ 2 p.m.
Maine at Albany ??? Wednesday @ 2 p.m.
Other remaining games:
Stony Brook at UMBC ??? Wednesday @ 3 p.m.
