BOSTON – In a tightly-contested matchup that required overtime, the Boston University men's soccer team suffered heartbreak with a 2-1 loss to Lehigh on Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field.
Reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Mark Forrest proved to be the difference maker, as he headed in the equalizer and used another header to set up the golden goal to help the Mountain Hawks improve to 5-4-1 and 2-0-0 in conference play. With their second OT loss of the season, the Terriers fall to 2-6-2 (1-1-0 PL).
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The contest was scoreless at the half with BU owning a 4-1 advantage in shots despite Lehigh posting a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks.
- In the 62nd minute, sophomore Austin D'Anna headed a cross going out of bounds back into play, leading to a failed clear by the Mountain Hawks.
- Junior Satchel Cortet collected the ball at the top of the box and sent a low, bouncing shot inside the left post past goalkeeper Will Smith, who was unable to track the ball due to D'Anna's presence in front.
- With 18:50 left in regulation, Forrest tied the contest by running into the box and heading Matthew Peralta's cross at the left post past diving senior keeper Mike Bernardi.
- The Terriers earned a corner kick one minute later, but Smith caught senior Josh Barkoff's header to help send the game to OT.
- Lehigh escaped with the win in the 93rd minute, as Forrest headed Michael Tahiru's cross to Peralta on the right side to shoot past a defenseless Bernardi.
GAME NOTES
- Cortet became the fourth Terrier to record multiple goals this season, joining injured Patriot League leading scorer Matt McDonnell (6g), D'Anna (2g) and freshman Kari Petursson (2g).
- The Terriers are 0-2-2 in OT games this season with the other loss occurring at Harvard, while Lehigh is now 2-2-1 in extra sessions.
- By avenging last year's 2-0 loss at home, Lehigh is now 3-4-0 all-time against BU, having also won in OT at Nickerson Field back in 2015 (3-2).
- Lehigh finished ahead in shots (10-6) and corners (6-2) with Smith recording the game's only two saves.
NEXT UP: HOLY CROSS
- The Terriers will hit the road and visit Holy Cross on Wednesday (Oct. 3) with a 7 p.m. start time.
- The matchup is part of the fourth-annual Turnpike Trophy series featuring the two schools.
- BU has won the last four regular season meetings by a combined score of 8-1 but will have revenge on its mind after being eliminated in the 2017 PL semifinals via penalty kick.