By The Numbers: A Closer Look at the Men’s Soccer Patriot League Tournament
Featured Image by Marianne Zemmes
By Matthew Wuschke
As Boston University Men’s Soccer gears up for its first Patriot League Tournament match, here’s a closer look at what to expect in the tournament, based on insights from Patriot League analytics.
The Terriers are set to face Bucknell at home Saturday. The two teams have a 5-3-6 record dating back to 2016. BU has been on a hot streak against the Bison, winning four of the last matchups since 2022. The Terriers have a 3-2-2 home record against Bucknell and hope to add another one on Saturday.
BU had the most success offensively in Patriot League throughout the regular season, notching a 1.688 scoring average. The Terriers have been propelled by senior midfielder Ethan Gill, who has 13 points with six goals and one assist; sophomore midfielder Pharis Petrica, who also has 13 points with three goals and seven assist; and junior forward Andrea Di Blasio with 11 points, five goals and one assist.
Bucknell isn’t a team that BU should take lightly though — the Bison trail the Terriers in scoring average, coming in with a 1.647 average. Forward Drew Roskos leads Bucknell with 15 points, seven goals and one assist, followed by midfielder Jack Lucas, who has tallied 13 points, five goals and three assists.
The Bison also boast a strong defensive backline, averaging 1.06 goals allowed — tied for third throughout the conference.
Looking onto the other side of the quarterfinal bracket, Army West Point and Lafayette fight to keep their seasons alive.
Lafayette just scraped into the playoffs, ending with a 6-6-6 record and now have to go up against No. 3 seed Army. Lafayette is an aggressive, defense-heavy team looking to spoil Army’s season.
The Leopards have the lowest goals allowed in the league at .83 per game, making themselves the only team under the one goal mark. However, discipline has been a concern for the team, as Lafayette holds the highest number of fouls at 224 and the second-highest rate of yellow and red cards.
Lafayette is led by midfielder Samir Dishnica — who has tallied 11 points, four goals and three assists — and sophomore forward Riley Martin with seven points, three goals and one assist.
The Black Knights finished third in scoring and defense, averaging 1.471 goals per game while allowing 1.06. Army has shown steady consistency throughout the season, though discipline has been an issue — the team ranks third in fouls and third-highest total of yellow and red cards.
Army West Point is led by forward Jack De Simone, who has 11 points, five goals and one assist, and forward Jubril Bamgbala at 10 points and five goals.
Forecasting
When looking at a broader lens of the tournament, there are some other teams that pose a threat in lifting the championship.
Starting with the top seed, American University. The Eagles have been the most disciplined team in the conference, committing the fewest fouls this season and recording the second-lowest number of red and yellow cards. American also poses a defensive threat, averaging 1.06 goals allowed — matching Bucknell.
The Eagles are led by forward Sowe Mustapha, who has 12 points, five goals and two assists. Midfielder Troy Elgersma has also been a prominent force for the Eagles at 11 points, five goals and one assist.
The second seed, Lehigh, brings a strong but balanced offensive presence. The Mountain Hawks tied for first in the conference in total goals scored, averaging 1.56 per game. However, their defense has been a weakness, after allowing 1.61 goals per game — the second most in the conference.
Midfielder Giacomo Zizza leads the Mountain Hawks with 15 points on three goals and nine assists, followed by forward Thomas Robertson, who’s added 13 points with six goals and one assist.
Scheduling
First Round:
No. 4 Boston University vs. No. 5 Bucknell – 1 p.m. at Nickerson Field
No. 3 Army West Point vs. No. 6 Lafayette – 7 p.m. at Malek Stadium in West Point, N.Y.
Second Round:
Highest Remaining Seed vs. No. 2 Lehigh at Ulrich Sports Complex in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Lowest Remaining Seed vs. No. 1 American University at Reeves Field in Washington, D.C.
The championship match will be held Nov. 12.