WEST POINT, N.Y. – Rallying to force overtime with the help of freshman
Florian Rieder's first career goal, the Boston University men's soccer team ultimately fell short at Army West Point, 2-1, on Wednesday night in the final game of the year for both teams.
Sam Epitime netted both goals to help the Black Knights (5-7-4, 2-4-3 PL) prevent the Terriers (4-12-1, 3-6-0 PL) from reaching their sixth straight Patriot League tournament. All five conference games were taking place at the same time, and with the results of the other four games, BU would have needed a win to claim the sixth slot.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Sophomore Kari Petursson sent the game's first shot attempt wide in the seventh minute, and senior Matt McDonnell added another at the 17th minute.
- Junior goalkeeper Michael Stone moved off his line in the 28th minute to stop a shot from Jake Burgess, who was angling toward the goal from the left side.
- Stone added one more save, and the backline cleared a pair of corners to keep the game scoreless entering the locker room.
- Epitime struck first in the 54th minute during a scramble in the box following a corner kick for the 1-0 advantage.
- Senior Matt McDonnell went on the attack with three shots, including one on net at 65:11.
- BU shortly thereafter earned back-to-back corners and converted on the second one from sophomore Kari Petursson with freshman Jacopo Ambrosetti finding Rieder for the tap in at 68:49.
- The Terriers had a great opportunity to grab the lead in the 87th minute, but Justin Stoll stopped a hard shot from Ambrosetti and freshman Griffin Roach sent the rebound just wide.
- In overtime, after sending a pair of shots wide, Army won a goal kick and forced BU to kick the ball out of bounds.
- The Black Knights then threw the ball in to set up a cross and Epitime's header inside the far post.
GAME NOTES
- Rieder became the sixth Terrier to find the back of the net this season, while Ambrosetti became the eighth to earn an assist.
- In total, 11 Terriers finished the year with at least one point, as Petursson ended the year with a team-high three assists.
- McDonnell led the Terriers with seven goals and 14 points.
- Only one of BU's six overtime games ended in a draw this year with senior Satchel Cortet netting the golden goals against No. 22 Navy and Colgate.
- Army finished the year 2-0-3 in overtime contests.
- The matchup marked the final game for McDonnell, Cortet, Mana Chavali, Jasper Verplancke, Schuyler Fuchsman and Elias Lampis.