This year's Boston College men's soccer NCAA Tournament run was short-lived, as the visiting Rutgers Scarlet Knights advanced on a 4-3 penalty kick shootout. Rutgers has owned the Eagles in the all-time series, improving to 8-2-2 against the Eagles. Rutgers advances to the third round of the NCAA Tournament to face #13 U.C.L.A.
After playing to a 1-1 draw through 110 minutes, the Eagles and Scarlet Knights went to a shootout.
"In the penalty kick shootout, Kamara and junior Kevin Mejia both converted in the first round and then Nate Bourdeau connected on the Scarlet Knights' second attempt. McMullen saved the next Eagles' shot for a 2-1 edge.
Robin Brown and senior Conor Fitzpatrick traded successful attempts in the third round, then Rutgers' Andrew Cuevas hit the left post for its first miss. Junior Colin Murphy tied the shootout, 3-3, after four rounds with his conversion.
In the fifth and final round, Joe Setchell shot first for Rutgers and he converted. McMullen then made his second save of the shootout to advance the Scarlet Knights into the next round."
The fourth seeded Eagles finish the year 14-6-1 and are handed another early-tournament exit. With the Eagles enjoying home-field through to this year's College Cup, this year's tournament seems like a missed opportunity. Though of the five ACC programs to make this year's tournament field, just two remain -- top ranked North Carolina (a 3-2 winner over Coastal Carolina) and fifth ranked Maryland (a 4-0 winner over West Virginia). BC joins Virginia, Duke and Wake Forest as ACC programs that failed to advance to the Sweet 16.