Hoping to end a three-game skid, Boston College men’s soccer looks to its final non-conference game of the season as it takes on Rhode Island this Tuesday. The No. 23 Rams (10-3, 4-2 Atlantic 10) mark the last of a tough four-game stretch of top-25 opponents for the Eagles (4-6-3, 2-5 Atlantic Coast), a run of matches in which BC has failed to find a win. Despite both teams storming out of the gates, URI is just 4-3 in its last seven games, while the Eagles suffered no losses in their first five games but have since gone just 2-6.
Who is BC playing?
Rhode Island
When is BC playing?
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
URI Soccer Complex, Kingston, R.I.
How to Watch/Listen:
The game isn’t available to stream, but can be followed via live stats here.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) The Eagles are paced by Simon Enstrom, who has scored five of his eight goals this season in non-conference games—it wouldn’t be a surprise if the senior forward found his name in the box score. Incidentally, they’ve lost just one non-conference game this season.
2) BC is 1-6 against ranked opponents this season, which includes an active three-game losing streak. Two of the three losses were against Wake Forest and North Carolina, ranked second and fifth, respectively. Despite BC’s lopsided record against ranked opponents, only one of the losses came by more than one goal.
3) The Eagles have not won on the road since their first game of the season, a 2-1 win over Quinnipiac. Overall, BC is just 1-4-1 on the road this season, with all four losses coming against ranked opponents.
URI:
1) The Rams have scored one or fewer goals in only three games they’ve played this season—one of which they won.When scoring more than one goal, though, the Rams are 9-1, scoring three-plus goals in seven of those wins.
2) URI is 5-1 at home, with its one loss coming in a dramatic double-overtime game against Brown. The Rams boast an impressive defense when defending their home turf, posting a goals against average of just 0.80 at home.
3) URI’s first six games were shutout wins, an unprecedented stretch of lockdown defense. In the last seven games, however, the Rams have given up at least one goal in each match, and they’ve conceded multiple goals in three of those seven games.
Last Meeting:
BC lost to the Rams, 2-1, on Sept. 26, 2017. URI took the lead in the 38th minute, which it extended to two in the 59th, and was able to withstand a familiar late push from its opponents. The Eagles closed the gap with a Beto Luna goal in the 69th minute. But despite outshooting its opponents, 12-1, BC couldn’t net the equalizer. URI’s goals were scored by Niklas Middrup and Chae Brangman, both of whom returned in 2018, as did BC’s Luna.
Outlook:
The Eagles will need to capitalize on scoring chances, something that seems obvious but was the primary reason they fell to URI a season ago. This year, BC has outshot its opponents on the season by a 20-shot margin, yet has still been outscored by three goals this season. Meanwhile, the Rams have not fared very well when giving up multiple goals, especially since the end of their shutout streak. URI averages more shots per game (13.8) and a higher shots on goal percentage (.520) than the Eagles, so BC will need to be on its offensive game if it’s to find the success against ranked teams that has eluded it this season.
Featured Image by Bradley Smart / Heights Editor
