ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Unable to convert on a load of early chances, the Navy men's soccer team (2-3-4, 0-1-1 PL) was handed a 2-0 loss to Boston University (2-2-3, 2-0-0 PL) in Patriot League action Saturday afternoon at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.
Despite the Midshipmen outshooting the Terriers,11-4, in the opening half and posted a 14-9 shots advantage for the game, Boston got a 12th-minute finish from Andrea di Blasio and Dylan Williams' insurance goal at 57' to extend their unbeaten streak to five games and ending Navy's own unbeaten streak at five-straight contests. Williams starred for BU with three points, while teammate Ben Alexander collected a six-save shutout to outduel the Mids'
Sam Clark and his four saves.
After Clark made a stop on Lapo Romieri at 4', Navy started to apply pressure on Alexander when
Duncan Sullivan ripped a low shot from 19 yards out that Alexander dove to get, while
Jack Illig's rebound attempt was turned aside by Alexander recovering to stick a leg out and send the ball over the cage.
Getting possession on a 12th-minute throw-in, the Terriers had Jack Grossman swing a ball to a streaking Williams on the far wing, who then crossed a ball into the goal box to a free di Blasio that touched it past Clark for the opening goal.
With Alexander denying on-target chances from
Liam Plum, Sullivan and Illig in the 10 minutes following the goal, Clark kept it a one-goal contest at 26' by turning aside Williams' shot and Illig nearly tied it in the 31st minute when his shot on the right side when just wide of the post.
Boston came out with more authority in the second half by pushing towards the Navy end, including forcing Clark to scoop up Pharis Petrica's deflected shot at 56'. The Terriers would keep pushing, as Lapo Romieri knocked down a clearance before passing to Petrica in the 57th minute, as Williams then picked up Petrica's through-ball racing into the box and finished a tough-angle chance past Clark into the right corner.
Falling into a possession battle, Navy tried to get on the board at 81' when Brady Strothkamp put a shot on Alexander that was swallowed up. Clark then collected his fourth save of the afternoon in the 82nd minute on Louis Crofts, but the Mids could not mount a late comeback against the league-leading Terriers.
Match Notes
• Navy is now 2-10-2 in the all-time series with Boston.
• Illig led all players with four total shots on Saturday.
Up Next
Navy will hit the road on Tuesday, taking the short drive to Baltimore for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference contest at in-state rival UMBC.
