110 Minutes of Excitement

by Nathaniel Lowenthal

When the Boston University men’s soccer team entered Stevenson Field Wednesday night against Brown University, no one was quite sure what to expect. Both teams were ranked, and both teams had earned their rankings for different reasons. BU had earned their #15 ranking by taking out two national powerhouses in UConn and St. John’s, while playing solid soccer in their other games. Brown earned their #23 ranking by entering the game with an undefeated record of 4-0-3, having allowed only three goals this season. What everyone got was one memorable soccer match with a 3-3 draw when the final whistle blew

The match had everything one could ask for if they were one of the 873 people in attendance Wednesday night. The game had plenty of goals, aggressive playmaking, tough challenges, great saves, and some officiating drama. Twice, BU had the lead, and twice, Brown was able to come back and tie it. The Bears twice were able to accomplish something that no other team was able to do against the Terriers; score an equalizer.

Both teams executed their strategies it appeared and both teams were evenly matched. The teams were far from perfect, as mistakes on each side led to a few of the goals, but overall the teams played good offensive soccer. In my opinion, this was the best the Terriers have looked on offense all season. In the first overtime, the offense especially shined.

After a Brown goal was disallowed, as Bears midfielder Jon Okafor was ruled to have climbed the back of a Terriers defender off of a corner kick to head the ball to teammate Evan Coleman for a volley that appeared to be the game winner, the Terriers took the reins. The scarlet & white had their chances, but nothing sufficed. In the second overtime, as Head Coach Neil Roberts admitted afterward, both teams were gassed.

It was a back-and-forth struggle, with both teams having much to take from the game. Brown proved that they can hang with other ranked teams this season, even without starters Rob Medairos and Thomas McNamara (who were suspended due to receiving red cards in the previous game). Brown also showed that they have two talented players in Okfafor and Sean Rosa, who from my point of view were the two best players on the field last night for either side.

For the Terriers, they were able to pass the ball as well as they have all season. Though senior goaltender Hrafn Davidsson (’10) did not have his best game in net and Brown was able to find some cracks in the Terrier defense, the Terriers never fully gave in to the tremendous offensive fortitude put on by the Bears.

The game was a tremendous slugfest from start to finish. Although nobody enjoys leaving with a tie, it was a fitting ending to a game played by two evenly matched teams. A rematch in the NCAA Tournament could help settle the score once and for all.

Perhaps Roberts put it best, when shortly after the game ended, he compared the game to a tennis match. “It would was back and forth you know, it would be like we would serve, and then they would come back with the counter and they would serve,” he said. However, unlike Roddick vs. Federer in their classic match at Wimbledon this year, in which Federer prevailed 16-14 in the fifth set, a whistle after 110 spectacular minutes caused it to end in a draw.