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The Boston College men’s soccer team is on the road to College Park, Maryland, in preparation for their game on Tuesday versus the top-seeded Maryland Terrapins.
UMD, ranked No. 5 in the country by the NSCAA, and currently ranked the highest of any ACC team by the NCAA (No. 10 in the country), will prove to be a very tough opponent for the Eagles.
The Last Encounter
Having already faced off at College Park before, the Terrapins were able to edge out BC in a 2-1 win. The game was very close, and the Eagles were almost able to pull off an equalizer at the end of the game, but to no avail. The first half was primarily dominated by Maryland, with the Terps leading in shots, corners and possession. This allowed Maryland to finish on one opportunity early in the game, and unluckily, BC let up an own goal as well.
The second half was much more even with the Eagles matching the Terps in shots on goal and corners, and the possession was much more balanced. In the 75th minute, freshman Zeiko Lewis was able to slot in a goal off of a combination play with Isaac Normesinu, but Maryland held on for the win.
By looking at the results of the last face-off between these two teams, Superfans can gain some confidence by realizing that, if not for the own goal, the Eagles would surely have tied up the game. Who knows what the end result would have been if BC had been able to keep themselves in check? With that game being earlier in the season as well, Boston College has had time to work out the kinks in both their offense and defense, and the team is playing better than ever.
BC a different squad from last match-up with Terps
Although the Eagles are coming off of a tough overtime loss to Virginia, hope for BC is high. Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Kapp, with over 35 saves in only 10 games, is back in goal after missing a few games due to an injury. Almost all of the regular starters have scored at least twice in the season -- and a squad filled with many players who can score is a lethal squad at that. Freshman Zeiko Lewis is playing very well, leading the team with 36 shots and 11 assists in the season. The defense, led by Chris Ager and Matt Wendelken, is coming together at the most important time of the season.
However, Maryland will be not be an easy game. Lounging comfortably at the top of the league, the Terps have been hard to beat this year. Boasting a 10-3-5 overall record, they managed to win almost all of their home games. With 74 shots, 14 goals and 6 assists, senior Patrick Mullins is a powerhouse for Maryland and will not be easy to slow down. Maryland dominated in every offensive aspect: their tallies of goals, corners and shots seem to dwarf those of their opponents.
Tuesday’s game will be a tough match for BC. It will test the team’s grit, and will force the Eagles to either come together and play as a team, or they will get smacked. At the final whistle on Tuesday, we will know whether or not our Eagles were able to spread their wings and fly (ah, the Eagle-related puns!).
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