Preview: Men’s Soccer Looks to Face Colgate on Home Turf
By Kaan Oguz
Riding a three-game winning streak, the Boston University Men’s Soccer (7-3-0, 3-1-0 PL) looks to extend their momentum against the Colgate Raiders (5-3-3, 1-1-2 PL) Friday evening at Nickerson Field.
The Terriers are aiming to build on their recent 4-1 home win over Loyola Maryland that lifted them into a tie for the No. 2 rank in the Patriot League standings.
Colgate, meanwhile, comes off a 2-0 victory over Navy, following three matches they were scoreless. In those scoreless matches against Bucknell, Syracuse and Lafayette, the Raiders took two draws and a loss.
BU has found its offensive rhythm in October, scoring 10 goals across its last three matches — the program’s first time recording at least three goals in three straight games since 2003. During this stretch, the Terriers defeated Bucknell and Harvard by 3-2 at the road and Loyola Maryland by 4-1 on their home turf.
Sophomore midfielder Pharis Petrica leads the Terriers with five assists and three goals this season, while junior forward Andrea Di Blasio has delivered a team-best four goals alongside an assist.
Junior forward Lapo Romieri, with a season total of two goals and four assists, and senior defender Quin DeLaMater have added strong support. DeLaMater, recently named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week, has tallied one goal and three assists in the last two matches.
Senior midfielder Ethan Gill and freshman midfielder Sebastian Otero are other names to keep an eye on, coming into this match with momentum on their side.
The Terriers have three different goalkeepers who started at least two games this season. Senior Shedat Shaaraz protected the goal in the recent three game winning-streak, recording a .762 save percentage and saved 16 shots in those three games.
Colgate enters the matchup with one of the league’s top defenses, allowing only eight goals through 11 games. Senior goalkeeper Eric Widrick has been a standout for the Raiders, recording seven clean sheets with a .862 save percentage and a 0.73 goals against average.
Offensively, Cole Ramey leads with three goals and one assist. Blake Pipkin leads the team by far on shots taken — 27 total — and is second in goal contribution, with one goal and two assists.
Though the Raiders have struggled on the road this season, they remain difficult to break down, boasting one of the most successful back lines in the league.
BU leads the all-time series against Colgate 11-5-3, with the teams splitting last season’s two meetings. The Terriers earned a 1-0 road win last October — thanks to Di Blasio’s late penalty — but fell 1-0 in the Patriot League Semifinal rematch at Nickerson Field, even though the Terriers controlled the majority of play. Both programs have eliminated one another in recent conference tournaments, adding extra intrigue to Friday’s contest — their twentieth matchup.
Kickoff for Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m, with streaming available in ESPN+.