Terriers Return to Nickerson Field for Latest Installment in Six-Decade Rivalry With Harvard

By Akshai Wadhwani        September 15, 2017

BOSTON, MA  –  The BU men’s soccer team will be returning to Nickerson Field, after a three-week absence, to face cross-town rival Harvard on Saturday evening. Kickoff will be at 7 P.M., marking the tail end of a triple header featuring BU women’s soccer vs. American University at 1 P.M. and the annual BU Alumni soccer match at 4 P.M.

The Terrier men will return home with the ever-present monkey on their backs of having yet to score in season play, along with an 0-5 record and 13 goals conceded. Their last outing was a 1-0 loss to UMass Amherst; despite a good showing in Central Mass., the Terriers fell as the decisive goal was scored off the rebound of a saved penalty. 

The Crimson will come into the match with a 1-2-1 record, tying Northeastern 1-1 after extra time in their last fixture. They too have struggled to get into a goal-scoring rhythm, finding the net just three times over their first four matches of the season, while conceding eight goals.

In a series that has spanned more than 60 years, Harvard holds the advantage at 25-15-8. However, they have beaten the Terriers only once in the last ten meetings between the two teams; additionally, BU holds a 6-2-2 record against the Crimson in their last ten meetings at Nickerson Field.

A point of interest will revolve around who starts in goal for the Terriers. Keepers Michael Bernardi and William Bönnelyche have both started matches and put in strong performances already in the young season. The latter came up with the aforementioned penalty save at UMass.

The match will also instigate a possible reunion between high school teammates. The Terriers’ Jerry Ozor and the Crimson’s Gavin Baker-Greene and Luis Viceira, all sophomores, played at Milton Academy together. Neither Baker-Greene nor Viceira have seen much action since joining the Harvard team, but Ozor could still end up playing against either one of them.