Boston College Athletics
Soccer Opens Spring Season Against Revolution
April 02, 2002 | Men's Soccer
April 2, 2002
WRENTHAM, Mass. - Boston College opened its 2002 Spring season with an exhibition match against Major League Soccer's New England Revolution on Tuesday, falling 3-1 at the team's practice facility at the Wrentham State School.
BC goalkeeper Danny Caruso was tested right off the bat, stopping two shots in the opening minutes. Mamadou Diallo, the 2000 MLS scoring champion, put a shot right on net several minutes in, but Caruso stopped the low blast. Minutes later, Ted Chronopolous broke through the Eagles' backfield for a one-on-one attempt with the netminder, but Caruso came out to break up the play.
Patrick Buhlman, a Swiss international, scored first for the Revs in the 25th minute. He flicked in a cross off a restart from Joe Franchino and scored on a shot inside the right post.
Junior Bobby Thompson knotted the score in the 35th minute. Sophomore Neil Krause broke up a transition play at the top of the box, then found Thompson coming back on the right side. Thompson scored from 15 yards out on a blast to the lower left corner past Revs goaltender Juergen Summer.
The Eagles' defense preserved the 1-1 score headed into the second half with three key plays. Caruso stopped Diallo's bicycle kick from 10 years out, then Bill Arnault stopped Alex Pineda Chacon's shot on the goal lineoff a corner kick. Chacon was the 2001 MLS scoring champion and MVP. Caruso then scrambled to block Jim Rooney's shot as the half expired.
The Revolution took a 2-1 lead just as the second half started when Diallo converted a penalty kick. New England then added to its lead when Steve Ralston knocked a Buhlman cross into an open net. Caruso had followed Buhlman out to the corner, leaving the net open for Ralston's shot.
The Eagles gave all three goalkeepers on the roster a chance to play and each had his opportunity to stop Diallo. Freshman Joe Roos relieved Caruso and was tested by Diallo early. With Kenny Adams on his back, Diallo launched a shot low that Roos deflected wide. Greg Bertleff came in with 15 minutes remaining in the game, and made his only save against Diallo as he dove to his left to stop the crossing shot. Caruso finished the game with seven saves, while Roos recorded three.
BC will continue its spring schedule on Sunday, April 7 with a mini tournament at Holy Cross. The Eagles will face the Crusaders at 10 a.m. before taking on Albany at 11:30.
