Men’s Soccer: Terriers Ready to Take On Lafayette in Final Away Game of Season

Featured Image by Jenny Chen

By Adrianna Uykan

Boston University Men’s Soccer (8-6-0, 4-3-0 PL) is preparing for its last away game of the regular season: a Friday night Patriot League matchup against the Lafayette Leopards (5-6-5, 2-2-3 PL).

The Terriers will try to bounce back from two division losses against American and Lehigh, the top two teams in the league, in an attempt to clinch a spot in the Patriot League playoffs. BU currently sits in third place with 12 points, while Lafayette is close behind with nine. With a win, the Leopards could tie the Terriers in the standings.

Sophomore midfielder Pharis Petrica looks to continue his successful season, with three goals and a team-high seven assists. Senior midfielder Ethan Gill and junior forward Andrea Di Blasio will also try to help BU bounce back from a 2-0 shutout — Gill has a team-high five goals, and Di Blasio recorded a standout performance against Lehigh with three shots.

Rounding out the Terrier defensive end is senior Quin DeLaMater, the reigning Patriot League Defender of the Year. He is only one of two Terriers to have more than 900 minutes this season, currently at 909 in 12 games played and started. 

Senior goalkeeper Ben Alexander continues to make his way back, making his first appearance in net since Sept. 13 against Lehigh. In six games, Alexander has a 0.667 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average, which he will try to improve against the Leopards, who are coming off of two straight shutouts against Drexel and Army West Point.

For Lafayette, midfielder Samir Dishnica leads the charge with three goals and two assists on the season, scoring most recently on Oct. 11 against Loyola Maryland. In the net, Eric Axtman has posted a 0.785 save percentage and a Patriot League-leading 0.93 goals against average for the Leopards. 

The Terriers are tied 5-5-3 all time with Lafayette. The most recent matchup, on Oct. 5, 2024, ended in a 1-1 draw. The teams met for an important matchup on Nov. 11, 2023, a 1-0 home win securing BU its first-ever Patriot League Tournament title. 

On the road, BU has gone an even 4-4, looking to secure a winning record at Gummeson Grounds in Easton, Pennsylvania. Kickoff for Friday’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the game will be available to stream on ESPN+.