Boston College Athletics
No. 13 Men's Soccer Faces Virginia Saturday Night
October 28, 2011 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 28, 2011
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - The No. 13 Boston College men's soccer team heads to Charlottesville Saturday night for its final regular season road test at Virginia Saturday night at 7 p.m.
The game will be aired live on ESPN3.com.
The Eagles (11-4-0, 3-3-0 ACC) have won four of their last five outings including a 2-1 double overtime thriller last weekend in Newton. Virginia (10-5-1, 3-2-1) is 5-1-1 in its last seven matches but hasn't won an ACC contest since October 7.
EAGLES TRAVEL TO VIRGINIA
• The No. 13 Boston College men's soccer team faces its final road test of the regular season when it meets Virginia in Charlottesville Saturday night.
• The match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
• The Cavaliers own a slight 4-3-1 advantage in the all-time series and have won all three meetings at Klöckner Stadium.
• The Eagles have won three of the last five matches between the two sides, including three in a row from 2007-08.
RUGG NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Junior Charlie Rugg was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week for the second time this season, announced Tuesday by the league office.
• Rugg played a part in both of Boston College's game-winning goals in a 2-0 week. He was credited with the assist on junior Kyle Bekker's goal in the 67th minute at BU in a 1-0 win, and then he scored the game-winner in the 107th minute of the second overtime against Duke last Saturday.
• It was the second time this season Rugg has scored a game-winning goal in overtime in an ACC match. He also did it against Virginia Tech.
• Rugg currently ranks third in the ACC in game-winning goals (4), seventh in assists (5) and points (19) and eighth in goals (7).
• Rugg was also named to the Soccer America Men's Team of the Week and the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.
LAST TIME OUT
• Junior Charlie Rugg's goal with fewer than three minutes left in the second overtime session capped a Boston College rally and lifted the host Eagles to a 2-1 win against Duke before 1,223 fans at the Newton Campus Field.
• After Duke claimed a 1-0 lead on Christopher Tweed-Kent's goal at 18:47, BC trailed for nearly 60 minutes before evening the score on freshman Diego Medina-Mendez's fifth goal of the season.
• Medina-Mendez won the scramble for the rebound of a teammate's shot and found the top of the net from eight yards out.
• Duke had the first great scoring chance of the extra sessions - just 40 seconds into the second session - when Tweed-Kent was robbed of his second tally of the night by a spectacular save by BC junior goalkeeper Justin Luthy.
• Less than four minutes later - at 106:19 - Rugg sent the home crowd home happy, taking a pass from classmate Kyle Bekker, gaining a step on the Duke defender and beating Blue Devil keeper James Belshaw from 17 yards out.
• BC's Luthy made six saves, including one in each extra session, to earn his 11th win of the season.
LAST SEASON vs. VIRGINIA
• Each team saw its top scorer deliver a key goal as 20th-ranked Boston College and eighth-ranked Virginia battled to a 1-1 ACC tie at the Newton Campus Field.
• Charlie Rugg netted his sixth goal of the season to give the home team a 1-0 first-half lead and Virginia's Brian Ownby knotted the match, netting his seventh goal of the season in the 58th minute.
• Virginia outshot BC 5-3 in the first 22 minutes of the first half, with its best chance coming on a Felipe Libreros shot from 12 yards out that sailed wide to the right of the goal.
• BC attempted the last seven shots of the half - including Rugg's score - which put the host Eagles on top at 38:36, settling a cross from Amit Aburmad and drilling a one-timer from five yards into the back of the net.
• Virginia carried the play for much of the early part of the second half. The visitors' early pressure paid off when senior T.J. Cyrus delivered a cross from the right side and found Ownby streaking down the middle and Ownby's header from 10 yards landed in the right side of the goal at 57:29.
• Each team attempted two shots in the first 10-minute extra session. Virginia's Jimmy Simpson's shot just 13 seconds in missed to the left. BC's best chance - a strong Rugg shot from 16 yards on the left - was saved by Restrepo at 99:24.
• In the second extra session, BC maintained possession in the offensive end for much of the time. The Eagles enjoyed a 3-1 edge in shots, but Virginia enjoyed the best chance when Simpson stole the ball in the BC end and was poised to end the match only to see BC keeper Justin Luthy make a diving stop on the shot from 12 yards out at 107:18.
POLL VAULTERS
• Boston College rocketed into the top 10 of three different national polls following its 4-0 start to the season.
• The NSCAA gave the Eagles the biggest bump, moving them to No. 8 after having been ranked 16th the week before.
• College Soccer News also ranked BC at No. 8 - up five spots from the No. 13 slot it held - while Soccer America moved BC from No. 18 to No. 14.
• Top Drawer Soccer ranked the Eagles highest at No. 7, improving four spots from the week prior.
• The Eagles are currently ranked in the top 20 in all four national polls.
IN ACC MATCHES
• Boston College is 3-0-0 at home in Atlantic Coast Conference matches but is still looking for its first points on the road.
• Freshman Diego Medina-Mendez leads the team in goals (3) and points (6) during conference play and all three goals have come at home.
• Junior Kyle Bekker has notched a team-best three assists in ACC action, and again, each of them has come at the Newton Campus Field.
• BC has only scored one goal in ACC road matches and Bekker tallied that one at NC State September 30 on a free kick to make it a 1-1 game.
• The Eagles' are better in all statistics at home than on the road including: goals (8-1), goals per game (2.67-0.33), shots (47-34), shots on goal (18-14), shots a game (15.7-11.3), corner kicks (19-12) and goals against average (1.25-2.67).
TEAM STATS
• The Boston College attack had been firing on all cylinders before the shutout it suffered at No. 2 Maryland, scoring 12 goals in the first four matches.
• The Eagles rank fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in assists (26) and fifth in goals (27) and points (80).
• BC came into this week ranked 26th in the country in goals scored (27) and 29th in scoring offense (1.80).
• On the other side of the pitch, the maroon and white leads the ACC in shutouts (7) and is third in goals allowed (17) and goals against average (1.12).
LUTHY ANCHORS THE DEFENSE
• Junior Justin Luthy has been a mainstay in goal since his arrival on campus three years ago.
• He has started all 56 matches in goal the last three seasons and was an All-ACC second-team and Freshman Team honoree in 2009.
• In the last eight matches, he has made 32 saves (.865 save percentage) and allowed just five goals (0.62 GAA).
• The Dublin, Ohio product has a 1.13 goals against average this season and has been credited with 57 saves - a .770 save percentage.
• He has helped pitch seven shutouts this season which leads the ACC while being second in save percentage and third in goals against average.
LUTHY'S CAREER NIGHT
• Junior Justin Luthy had to do everything he could to give BC a 1-0 win at Rhode Island September 23.
• He recorded his second shutout of the season, saving a career-high 12 shots in the process.
• Eight of those saves came in the second half, including five in the final 8:30 of play.
• The 12 saves are the most in a match in the ACC this season and it is the only double-digit save performance in the conference this year.
• It was also the most saves by an ACC keeper since Duke's James Belshaw had 15 on September 3, 2010.
BEND IT LIKE BEKKER
• Junior Kyle Bekker has been the catalyst for the attack all season long, leading the team with seven goals, 19 points and four game-winners.
• In his first game of the season against Fairfield, the Oakville, Ontario product provided both goals in a 2-1 triumph.
• His first goal came in the 68th minute to break a scoreless tie and his other was on a free kick from 19 yards out in the 87th minute to win the game.
• In the 5-0 win vs. Quinnipiac, he tallied a goal and an assist and then he also provided a helper September 4 at No. 22 Dartmouth.
• Bekker tallied three assists in a three game span from September 4-16. He had one in a win at Dartmouth and then picked up two more in a 4-3 home victory against Virginia Tech.
• After three scoreless matches from September 20-27, Bekker has three goals in the last three outings.
• He scored against NC State September 30 for his first goal since September 1 and then added both goals in a 2-0 win against Harvard October 11.
• Bekker added the lone goal in a 1-0 win at Boston University October 18 and assisted on the game-winner in double overtime against Duke last Saturday.
• Bekker ranks third in the ACC in game-winning goals (4), seventh in goals (7) and points (19) and eighth in assists (5).
ABURMAD-NESS
• Senior Amit Aburmad got off to a torrid start in the first six matches this season. He had five goals and four assists in that span - both of those numbers led the team.
• He currently shares the team lead with five assists and is third with five goals and 15 points.
• Aburmad ranks seventh in the ACC in assists while being second in multiple-point games with four.
RUGG BURN
• Junior Charlie Rugg has also done his part being a spark for the attack.
• The forward has put up the same numbers as Kyle Bekker, with seven goals, five assists and four-game winning goals.
• Two of those game-winners have come in overtime victories against ACC opponents - Virginia Tech and Duke.
• Rugg has tallied a point in 11 of the 15 matches this season.
• He scored twice in a 3-2 season-opening win against George Mason and earned ACC Player of the Week honors for his performance.
• He recorded an assist against Fairfield and then found the back of the net again vs. Quinnipiac.
• Rugg added another assist in the 2-0 win at No. 22 Dartmouth.
• He scored three goals in a five-game span from September 16-27 and two of them (vs. Virginia Tech, at Rhode Island) proved to be game-winners.
• The goal against the Hokies came in the third minute of overtime off a corner and then the one at Rhode Island came just 1:58 after the opening whistle.
• Rugg put up his seventh goal of the season in dramatic fashion last Saturday against Duke. He took a pass from Bekker in the 107th minute, gained a step on a Duke defender and beat Blue Devil keeper James Belshaw from 17 yards out.
MEDINA-MENDEZ MAKES QUICK IMPACT
• Freshman Diego Medina-Mendez has started 11 matches and appeared in all 15. He is the only freshman to earn a start this season.
• The speedy midfielder has scored five goals and assisted on another for 11 points.
• His five goals rank third on the team and three of them have come in ACC play which leads the squad.
• The Lindsay, Calif. native had two goals in a three-game span from September 27 to October 7, including what proved to be the game-winner at Brown.
• He also came off the bench and scored a goal in the 79th minute against Wake Forest.
AGER ENTERS POINT COLUMN
• Sophomore Chris Ager has started 28 games on defense and it took 20 to record his first career goal and assist - and both came in the same game.
• The Gjettum, Norway product scored and assisted on another goal in BC's 4-3 overtime win against Virginia Tech on September 16.
• Ager headed in a corner kick from junior Kyle Bekker in the 29th minute to tie the game, then assisted on the next score less than two minutes later to give the Eagles a 2-1 edge.
RUGG NAMED FIRST ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Junior Charlie Rugg was named the first Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week this year.
• Rugg paced the Boston College offense with a pair of goals in a 3-2 win against George Mason August 26.
• His first score came in the 44th minute to give the Eagles a 2-0 edge.
• After Mason made it a 2-1 game with a tally in the 79th minute, Rugg beat a couple of defenders by himself in the left side of the box and then beat the keeper for the game-winning goal in the 89th minute.
• It was the third time in his career that he scored a pair of goals in a match, and the first since 2009.
• In addition to the conference honor, Rugg was also recognized by regional and national outlets. College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer both named him to their respective National Teams of the Week.
• He was also named the SoccerSavings.com/New England Soccer News College Player of the Week.
GOALS COME IN PAIRS
• Goal scoring came in bunches in the first three matches of the season.
• In the season opener against George Mason, junior Charlie Rugg recorded two goals to lead the Eagles to a 3-2 victory.
• Rugg had a goal in each half, including what proved to be the game-winner in the 89th minute.
• It was the third time in his career that he scored twice, the last coming in 2009.
• In the next contest against Fairfield, junior Kyle Bekker made his first appearance of the season with a bang.
• He scored both BC goals in a 2-1 win against Fairfield.
• It was the first multi-goal game of Bekker's career, who peppered the net with a game-high eight shots.
• His first goal came in the 68th minute to break a scoreless tie and his other was on a free kick from 19 yards out in the 87th minute to win the game.
• Senior Amit Aburmad scored two second half goals and assisted on another to lead the BC to a 5-0 win against Quinnipiac.
• Aburmad established a career high with five points in the match. It was also the first time he scored two goals in his career.
• Bekker added two more goals to his season total against Harvard when he scored both Eagle goals in a 2-0 win.
HOT START
• Boston College started out the season 4-0-0 for just the second time in program history. It also did it in 2004 - its last year playing in the Big East.
• BC beat Brown, Cal State Northridge, Syracuse and Boston University that season. The win against the Orange was the only one on the road.
• The Eagles have never gone undefeated in the first five games of a season.
FIVE WINS, FIVE SHUTOUTS
• The Eagles won five of seven matches dating from September 23 to October 18 and each of those wins came by way of shutout.
• Junior Justin Luthy racked up 22 saves in those five wins, totaling 438:10 in net.
• Boston College held a 65-52 edge in shots against its opposition in the triumphs, but trailed in other statistical categories.
• Opponents got off more corner kicks with a 22-15 advantage and also held a 22-21 lead in shots on goal.
• The last time that BC won five games consecutively by shutout came during the 2004 season when they had seven wins via shutout.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
• Boston College scored five goals in a 5-0 shutout victory against Quinnipiac September 1.
• Senior Amit Aburmad scored two second half goals and assisted on another to lead the squad.
• It was the most goals scored by the Eagles since an 8-0 win against Maine on September 18, 2007.
• Aburmad established a career high with five points in the match. It was also the first time he scored two goals in his career.
• Junior Kyle Bekker recorded a goal and an assist.
• Junior Charlie Rugg scored a goal while freshman Diego Medina-Mendez found the back of the net for the first time in his BC career.
• Junior Stefan Carter and sophomore Ryan Dunn were both credited with assists. It was the first of Carter's career.
TOUGH AT HOME
• BC has been hard to beat at the Newton Campus Field over the last two seasons.
• The Eagles went 6-0-3 at home in 2010 and are 7-1-0 this year.
• Boston College is 17-1-3 in its last 21 regular season home games dating back to 2009 and is 21-5-3 overall in Newton since 2009.
• BC's last home loss came at the hands of Connecticut on September 20.
• Prior to that, the Eagles were unbeaten in their last 13 home matches.
THREE CAPTAINS NAMED
• The Eagles selected sophomore D Chris Ager, senior D/M Conor Fitzpatrick and junior D/M Colin Murphy as captains for the 2011 season.
• Ager is serving as team captain for the second time after starting the last 20 games dating back to 2010.
• Fitzpatrick has been a mainstay on the pitch since his arrival on campus, starting 63 games and appearing in 64. He has seven goals and two assists in his first three seasons.
• Murphy earned valuable international experience by representing New Zealand in the U-20 World Cup over the summer. He has played in 47 games with 44 starts at BC.
