Men’s Soccer: Terriers Look to Take Down Mountain Hawks Leading Up to Patriot League Tournament

By Jane Guay 

Boston University Men’s Soccer (8-5, 4-2 PL) is looking to regain a win streak Saturday against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (7-5-3, 4-1-1 PL) at Nickerson Field, as the Terriers celebrate Senior Day and honor their graduating players in their final home season.

With three games remaining before the Patriot League tournament begins Nov. 8, the Terriers have yet another opportunity to add a tally to the W column — even with back-to-back losses against American University on Sunday and against Northeastern on Oct. 14.  

BU has only allowed two conference game losses this fall, looking to keep a dominance in the league before heading into the tournament. The Terriers also aim to improve offensively, as senior midfielder Ethan Gill is the only player to score against American on Sunday. 

The Mountain Hawks, on the other hand, are coming off a tough 1-5 loss against Seton Hall on Tuesday. Lehigh’s one and only goal scored came in the 84th minute from senior defender Matthew Aitchison — his first career goal.

Gill has had an impressive senior season, despite it being his first time with the Terriers after transferring from Holy Cross. Scoring five goals this season with one recorded assist, there will be much to celebrate for Senior Day. 

In the Oct. 14 match against Northeastern, senior defender John Roman scored one of the two goals made throughout the match, securing his second career goal. Roman’s initiative in scoring against the Huskies showed his ability to quickly respond to opponent’s late goals.

Sophomore midfielder Jack Grossman claimed his first career goal against Northeastern after scoring the other goal for the Terriers. Grossman transferred to BU before his sophomore season after spending a year at Syracuse University, where he ended the season with five goals and 10 assists. 

BU and Lehigh have an ongoing and competitive history, with this upcoming match being a potential tie-breaker of a history of six wins and six losses. The rivalry began in 2001, but the programs didn’t meet again until 2013, when the Terriers claimed victory in their return matchup

BU holds a 3-2 record against the Mountain Hawks at home, where they will be playing once again on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., with streaming available on ESPN+.