NCAA FIRST ROUND
Boston University (12-3-4, 7-1-1 PL) at #21/25 Syracuse (8-4-7, 2-1-5 ACC)
Date & Time: Thursday, Nov. 6 | 6 p.m.
Venue: SU Soccer Stadium | Syracuse, N.Y.
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMSOC

BOSTON – Riding a five-game win streak, the Patriot League champion Boston University men's soccer team will try to halt No. 21/25 Syracuse's national title defense in its tracks on the road Thursday night with the ESPN+ broadcast set for a 6 p.m. start time.

The Terriers most recently hoisted their first conference tournament title in 15 years thanks a 1-0 home win over Lafayette to earn an automatic NCAA bid, while the Orange claimed an at-large berth alongside seven other ACC schools following a 3-1 loss to then-No. 7 North Carolina in the ACC semifinals.

TERRIER TIDBITS

• BU is 6-15-1 all-time in the NCAA tournament, last dropping a 3-1 decision at UConn in 2015. The Terriers last pulled out a victory at home in 2008 against Fairleigh Dickinson (1-0) and will try to win outside Massachusetts for the first time since claiming a 2-1 victory at St. John's in 1993.
• Compared to an unbeaten 8-0-2 home mark, the Terriers are 4-3-2 on the road this season, collecting four victories for the first time since going 4-5-2 in 2017. They last had a winning road record in 2015 (6-2-1) before falling at UConn, 3-1.
• The Terriers' 30 goals this year are the most since the 2010 squad recorded 32. 
• Senior Eitan Rosen leads the offense with 20 points off nine goals (most by a Terrier since 2015) and two assists, while graduate student Colin Innes owns 15 points off four goals and seven assists (most by a Terrier since 2013).
• In total, six Terriers have scored at least two goals, and seven have earned multiple assists. Rosen, Innes, senior Andrew Rent (3g,4a) and graduate student Quinn Matulis (3g,2a) are the only ones to have earned at least two of each.
• Two-time reigning PL Goalkeeper of the Year Francesco Montali owns a 0.71 goals against average and .714 save percentage.
• The backline anchored by two-time Defensive Player of the Year Griffin Roach has helped hold opponents to just 8.6 shots per game, the lowest average allowed this century at BU.
• BU is averaging 1.9 more shots per game (10.5-8.6) despite opponents owning an 89-69 advantage in corner kicks.

SCOUTING SYRACUSE

• The Orange are making their ninth overall NCAA appearance, owning a 13-5-2 all-time record and perfect 10-0-0 home mark at SU Soccer Stadium. 
• Syracuse went 7-2-3 at home this season compared to the 1-2-4 road mark with a 1-0 win over UAlbany, 1-0 victory against Colgate and 2-0 win against Ivy League champion Yale. The Orange also drew with then-No. 7 Louisville, 2-2.
• Lorenzo Boselli leads the Orange at six goals, while Jeorgio Kocevski has a team-high 12 assists and one goal to put the two men in a tie for team lead at 14 points apiece.
• Both Nicholas Kaloukian (4g,3a) and Gabriel Mikina (5g,1a) are tied at 11 points apiece.
• Jahiem Wickham has started 11 of 12 games played, owning a .688 save percentage and 0.87 goals against average . He and Jason Smith (.571 SV%, 1.54 GAA) have combined for seven total shutouts.
• Syracuse is nearly doubling opponents in shots, 13.8-7.5, thanks in part to a 151-68 lead in corner kicks.

SERIES HISTORY

• BU leads the all-time series, 3-0-0, after earning a 3-2 overtime decision at home in 2000.
• The Terriers also won at home in 1979 (1-0) following a 4-1 road victory in 1978. Coincidentally, both of those meetings were held on Oct. 7.

UP NEXT

• The advancing team will next head to No. 8 national seed New Hampshire on Sunday (Nov. 19) with a 2 p.m. start time on ESPN+.
• The Wildcats defeated the Terriers, 2-1, earlier this year after BU pulled out a 1-0 road win in 2022 against then-No. 8 UNH.