Rhode Island Kick-Starts Back Half of Schedule

Tuesday, September 26

Newton, Mass.

5:00 PM

Boston College

Rhode Island

Photo by: John Quackenbos

Rhode Island Kick-Starts Back Half of Schedule

September 25, 2017 | Men's Soccer

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Eagles look to jump-start the back half of their schedule on Tuesday as the Rams visit Newton

By: Athletic Communications

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The Boston College men's soccer team will look to jump-start the back half of its schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 26, when Rhode Island visits Newton for a non-conference game. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. at the Newton Campus Fields, and the game will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, which is available at WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app.

Tuesday's game marks the start of the second half of BC's season and represents the team's sixth non-conference game of the year. So far, BC is 3-2 in non-league play, rebounding last Tuesday with a double-overtime win over Providence. BC started the year 2-0 in non-ACC games before falling to 2-2 after Labor Day behind back-to-back losses to New Hampshire and Xavier, both at home. After Tuesday's game against URI, BC has just two non-conference games remaining: at Harvard on Oct. 10 and vs. Connecticut on Oct. 17.

Boston College enter Tuesday's game fresh off a 4-0 loss on the road at No. 10 Louisville in which BC played without three of its four starting defenders, as Len Zeugner, Tomas Gudmundsson and Joshua Forbes were all out with injury. After a scoreless first half that heavily favored the Eagles, the teams came out for the second and Louisville wasted little time scoring, tallying the go-ahead goal in the 47th minute. The loss pushed BC's record to 3-5-0 overall and 0-3 in ACC play.

Until Friday, BC's defense had been strong in recent weeks, allowing just single goals in its last two games. The Eagles could have to piece a back line together again on Tuesday against the Rams, who have been on their own defensive roll of late.

Rhode Island (3-2-2) has not allowed a goal in its last 400 minutes of play, including back-to-back 0-0 draws on the road at then-No. 16 New Hampshire and at then-No. 25 Brown. Overall, URI has posted five shutouts in seven contests. In those games, they've allowed just 71 shots. The Rams have yet to start conference play in the Atlantic 10, formally kicking off their league slate this coming Saturday against George Washington.

The teams have played three common opponents, with BC going 2-1 edge against the three teams to URI's 1-1-1 mark. On Aug. 25, URI blanked Boston University at home, 3-0, before BC went into Boston and won 4-0 two days later at BU. Providence topped URI, 2-1, in double overtime in Kingston on Sept. 2; BC defeated the Friars, 2-1, in double overtime last Tuesday. Finally, BC dropped a 2-0 decision at home to UNH on Sept. 1, while the Rams and Wildcats played to a 0-0 draw on Sept. 16 in Durham.

After Tuesday's game, the Eagles host a crucial ACC contest on Friday, Sept. 29, when Virginia Tech comes to town for a 5 p.m. game at Newton. The Hokies are 1-2 in ACC play in the Coastal Division, and are 4-4-0 overall on the season. They handed then-No. 1 Notre Dame their first loss of the season on Friday night, defeating the Irish 2-1 in Blacksburg.

Boston College (3-5-0, 0-3-0 ACC) vs. Rhode Island (3-2-2, 0-0-0 A10)
Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017 | 5 p.m.
Newton Campus Fields | Newton, Mass.

AGAINST RHODE ISLAND

Since 1979, Boston College and Rhode Island have met 23 times with the Eagles holding a 12-9-2 edge in the series
At home, BC is 7-2-1 against the Rams, while URI is 7-5-1 against BC in Kingston
The Eagles are undefeated in the last six meetings between the two teams (2010-2015), going 5-0-1 in those games
In the teams' last meeting in 2015, the programs played to a 1-1 draw in Kingston, Zeiko Lewis gave BC a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute before URI's Dominik Richter equalized in the 33rd. After a scoreless second period and two overtime periods, the game ended in a 1-1 draw. BC's Alex Kapp made five saves in the draw after BC out-shot URI 7-0 in the two overtimes

BOOSTING THE NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS

On Tuesday, BC will look to improve its non-conference record this season
BC enters with a 3-2 mark in non-ACC games so far
BC started the year with a pair of wins - Quinnipiac and at BU - before falling at home to UNH and Xavier (now both in the Top 25) ... last Tuesday BC claimed a 2-1 win in double overtime against Providence to rebound
After Tuesday's game against URI, the Eagles have just two non-conference games remaining: at Harvard on Oct. 10 and vs. Connecticut on Oct. 17

BACK LINE BUMMING WITH INJURIES

The Eagles' back four has been anything but consistent this season because of injury ... in Friday's loss at Louisville, BC started only one of their usual four defenders
Younes Boudadi is the only usual starter who has played in every game, starting all eight contests on the right side
Tomas Gudmundsson missed last Tuesday's game against Providence and was limited to just 21 minutes as a substitute on Friday at Louisville because of an injury picked up at Clemson on Sept. 15
Len Zeugner, while officially back from his year-long absence because of a knee injury, has been nursing an ankle injury suffered just 15 minutes into his season debut on Sept. 8 ... he saw 25 minutes of substitute action against Providence last Tuesday and did not play at all at Louisville on Friday
Joshua Forbes - who already missed the Aug. 27 game because of a red card suspension - came out of last Tuesday's game against PC in the 33rd minute and did not play at Louisville on Friday
In their places, Raphael Salama (six starts, including four in place of Zeugner to start the season), Abe Bibas and Mohammed Moro (who has been playing as an attacker this season) slotted along the backline next to Boudadi