BOSTON – The Boston University men's soccer team finished with a 12-shot advantage but Lafayette had two stellar saves and multiple clears on dangerous crosses to escape with a 0-0 draw on Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field.
With their fourth straight shutout against the Leopards (4-4-3, 0-2-2 PL), the Terriers move to 3-6-3 and 2-1-1 in Patriot League play. Lafayette is now on a five-game winless streak after earning its third draw during that stretch.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the sixth minute, junior Mana Chavali curled a cross into the six-yard box to set up senior Adam Wright's header.
- Keeper Alex Sutton made a leaping save with his right arm extended to keep the game scoreless.
- BU dominated possession for most of the first half, as the Leopards only managed two shots against the Terriers' five.
- Sutton came up big again early in the second stanza with a diving stop on sophomore Toti Knutsson's hard shot set up by Chavali's drive through the midfield on a counter.
- The Terriers recorded a 12-3 advantage in shots during the final 45 minutes of regulation but were forced to go to overtime for the fifth time this season.
- Both teams had multiple dangerous crosses and moves into the box but only finished with one shot apiece during the final 20 minutes of action.
- Lafayette's Martin Ssessanga received a second yellow in the 106th minute, but BU was unable to take advantage of the Leopards being down a man for the draw.
GAME NOTES
- Senior Mike Bernardi needed just two saves and help on clearing four corners to claim his second shutout of the season, while Sutton led Lafayette with six saves.
- Senior David Riccio tallied a game-high four shots, while both sophomore George Abunaw and freshman John Siracuse had three apiece.
- The Terriers moved to 0-2-3 this season in OT contests with the other two draws coming against four-time defending Ivy League champion Dartmouth and Boston College.
- BU's nine corner kicks set a season high, while the 18 shots matched the season-high set earlier at Dartmouth.
- The Terriers are now 4-1-1 all-time against Lafayette, as the programs finished in a 0-0 draw for the first time.
- The contest marked BU's first home 0-0 draw since a Nov. 1, 2014 matchup against American.
- The matchup was part of the first-ever Soc'toberFest at BU and featured free giveaways, food, apple bobbing contest and a 21+ beer garden.
NEXT UP: LOYOLA MARYLAND
- The Terriers will next travel to Patriot League preseason favorite Loyola Maryland on Saturday (Oct. 12) for a 7 p.m. start.
- BU is 2-1-2 against the Greyhounds since they both joined the PL in the summer of 2013 and has recorded a draw in both visits to Baltimore.
- Loyola Maryland pulled out a 2-1 victory at Nickerson Field last season.