BOSTON – Currently sitting atop the Patriot League standings with five conference games remaining, the Boston University men's soccer team will host preseason favorite Loyola Maryland on Saturday afternoon with action set to begin at 4 p.m.
The matchup will be part of a BU soccer doubleheader, as the women's team will also face the Greyhounds starting at 1 p.m.
TERRIER TIDBITS
- The Terriers are 2-1-1 at home this season with wins over Holy Cross and Harvard after earning a 7-2-1 mark last year.
- BU has opened conference play with four straight shutout victories for the first time since starting with six wins as a member of America East in 1993 ... The Terriers are 4-0-0 after starting 0-2-2 last season and finishing with a 4-3-2 record.
- While three Terriers have found the back of the net in eight non-conference games, seven have scored in four PL contests.
- BU had a school-record four Terriers earn PL weekly honors this past Monday following a 3-0 win over Holy Cross and 2-0 victory at Lafayette.
- Reigning PL Player of the Week Matt McDonnell leads the Terriers with three goals following a score against both the Crusaders and Leopards ... Midfielder of the Week T.J. Butzke posted all three of his team-high assists as well.
- Freshman Toti Knutsson, sophomore Mana Chavali and sophomore Satchel Cortet are the only ones to have tallied at least one goal and assist during conference play.
- Goalkeeper of the Week Michael Bernardi has posted a combined 15 saves in the four PL games ... In seven starts overall, he owns a 0.765 save percentage and 1.19 goals against average.
SCOUTING LOYOLA MARYLAND
- The Greyhounds are riding a two-game win streak following a 1-0 win at High Point and 2-1 victory against Army West Point.
- Loyola is 3-1-0 in conference play with wins against Navy (2-0) and Colgate (2-1) and a 1-0 overtime loss at Bucknell after posting a 6-1-2 mark last season.
- Loyola is 3-3-1 on the road compared to 4-1-0 at home.
- While BU has two players owning a team-high six points, the Greyhounds have three men with seven or more points ... Barry Sharifi owns three goals and three assists for a team-high nine points.
- Brian Saramago also has three goals with one assists, while Gabriel Carlsson ranks second in the PL with seven assists.
- Chase Vosvick has only missed one game at net, posting a .769 save percentage and 1.07 goals against average with non-conference shutouts against St. John's, Villanova and William & Mary.
SERIES HISTORY
- BU is 3-1-2 all-time against the Greyhounds with a 2-0-2 mark since both teams joined the PL in the summer of 2013.
- Last season in Baltimore, Loyola jumped out to a 2-0 lead and owned a late 3-2 advantage before the Terriers escaped with a 3-3 draw.
- Saramago earned a hat trick in the game ... Senior Adam Sheikali is the lone returning Terrier from the game who had a point in the contest off an assist.
- BU claimed a 2-0 win at home in 2013 and followed up with a 2-1 victory in 2015 at Nickerson Field.
