UNH Men Upset BU

Wildcats Come Back in Second Half for Big Win

Oct. 8, 2009

BOSTON, MASS. - Chris Banks (Westborough, Mass.) punched in the game-deciding goal off a pass from Sean Coleman (Stratham, N.H.) in the 73rd minute of play to propel the University of New Hampshire men’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Boston University to open up conference play, Wednesday night at Nickerson Field.

Chris Banks leads UNH with three goals this season. (Photo courtesy of UNH Athletics)

The goal, Banks’ team-leading third of the season, ended hopes of a Terrier comeback, as Banks notched the score on a header from a cross by Coleman to give the Wildcats the win. The assist is Coleman’s second of the season, tying him for first on the team in assists, and second on the team in points with four.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 4-5-1, 1-0 in America East action, while the Terriers fall to 7-3-2, 1-1 in conference play and watch their five-game unbeaten streak snap. The Wildcats remain unbeaten on the road against the Terriers for the sixth straight year, as they have not lost at Nickerson Field since 2003. The three previous contests had ended in 0-0 draws.

The win also gives the Wildcats their third victory in the last five games, scoring at least two goals in each win.

The Terriers posted 19 shots and the Wildcats tallied a total of six, but were able to keep the Terriers at bay for much of the game, allowing only one goal in the contest. That goal was tallied by Michael Bustamante, who notched the score off a free kick from just outside the box at 11:29 in the first half.

That would be the extent of the damage BU would inflict on UNH for the remainder of the contest as the Wildcats would take over in the second half of play, making the most of their four shots in the stanza.

New Hampshire’s first strike of the half was a goal scored by Jordan Thomas, who picked up the ball off a pass from Dylan George (Bangor, Maine), to knot up the action at 1-1 at 52:26.

From there, the Wildcats wouldn’t look back as they finished off the Terriers with a goal from Banks to preserve the 2-1 win.

Colin O’Donnell (Springfield, Mass.) and BU goalkeeper Hrafn Davidsson each had four saves in the contest.