Nov. 9, 2011

Box Score | Highlights | Coach Roberts' postgame comments

BOSTON - Despite having a 14-6 advantage in shot attempts, the Boston University men's soccer team fell to Hartford, 1-0, on Wednesday night at Nickerson Field in the America East semifinals. With their seventh one-goal defeat, the America East regular season champion Terriers end the year at 9-9-0, while the Hawks improve to 8-8-4 with their fifth straight win.

Hartford broke a scoreless deadlock in the 56th minute when Atobra Ampadu rifled from the top of the box toward the left post past a diving Nick Thomson for the 1-0 lead. Damion Lowe and David Bernhardsson both assisted on the score.

Trying to avoid the team's seventh shutout of the season, America East Rookie of the Year Dominique Badji hit the post at 63:34 and then found the crossbar with his header at 65:05. His first attempt ricocheted off the right post and dribbled across the goal line before a Hawk cleared the ball away.

A minute later, BU brought the ball up the right side during a counter attack and sent a cross to Badji, who immediately flicked it with his head at the top of the box toward the goal over a leaping Luke Citiniti. Unfortunately, it didn't dive quickly enough and was cleared away after nailing the crossbar.   

With assistance from the metal of the goal, Citiniti never recorded a save but stopped multiple charges from the Terriers by punching out corners and grabbing crosses from BU's wingmen. In the final minute, sophomore Anthony Ciccone tried to find senior Ben Berube on the left side of the box but was unable to get the ball past Citiniti.

Thomson notched the lone save for BU with an impressive move at 5:05 when he dove to his left to stop a near point-blank header from Anthony Santaga off the first of five Hartford corners.