Sept. 1, 2009
Box Score
AMHERST, Mass. - Ranked as high as 23rd in one national poll, the Boston University men's soccer team rallied from a goal down late in the second half against Massachusetts to leave Rudd Field Tuesday afternoon with a 1-1 draw in the season opener for both teams. Senior co-captain Shaun Taylor tied the score inside the left post off an assist from junior Aaron O'Neal in the 66th minute.
After having several opportunities in the first half to take the lead, the defending Atlantic 10 regular season champion Minutemen finally broke through at 42:51. The lone goal was a result of Sam DeNormandie heading in his own header off an acrobatic throw-in from Mark Dangleis.
The Terriers were outshot, 7-6, in the first half by UMass but were the more aggressive team the rest of the game, finishing with an 19-13 edge. UMass led 5-3 in corner kicks after having three in the first stanza. Both goalkeepers made several impressive saves with senior Hrafn Davidsson recording six and Chris Piekos posting seven.
BU was unlucky early in the contest, when Ben Berube placed a perfect cross near the corner into the box for freshman Ade Akinsanya to head in for the goal. However, Akinsanya was called offsides on the play, nullifying the score.
UMass had its first big opportunity at 5:01 when Stuart Amick found a loose ball inside the box following a free kick from Ben Arikian. He attempted a shot through the crowd of players, but Hrafn Davidsson was in perfect position to make the save.
In the 27th minute, UMass had another chance when Mark DeSantis ran up the field on a fast break toward the box. While getting around the lone defender in his way though, the ball went ahead a few yards, allowing Davidsson to get in position for the point blank save off a rushed attempt by DeSantis.
O'Neal recorded BU's only shot on goal in the first half at 37:05, as the Terriers committed several turnovers to fall behind, 1-0, entering the locker room at the half.
The defending America East champion Terriers shook off the rust though and pressured the Minutemen multiple times in the second half before breaking through on Taylor's score at 65:52.
Akinsanya had an attempt at 51:37, and sophomore Ben Berube's shot went left of the goal just two minutes later. O'Neal's shot at the 18-yard line flew over the goal at 60:44.
In the first overtime, both teams shared possession of the ball and made two attempts each with no one in real danger of giving up the golden goal.
However, in the second overtime, the Terriers came awfully close to getting revenge on UMass for last year's double overtime loss at Nickerson Field with a four-shot barrage.
In the 104th minute, Berube rifled an attempt from several yards out toward the top corner of the near post, but Piekos made a brilliant diving save. During the scramble, Akinsanya, Michael Bustamante and Samuel Appiah all attempted shots with Piekos making saves on the first two.
A couple of minutes later, UMass had a free kick attempt in the middle of the field a few yards outside the box, but no one touched the ball as it curled left of the goal out of bounds.
BU's draw snapped a three-game losing streak to the Minutemen and marked the third overtime contest in the last five games between the two in-state rivals.
The Terriers next travel to Storrs, Conn., to face off against 12th-ranked Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 8 p.m.
