While the field hockey and Women's soccer teams have dazzled AU fans with their superb seasons, the Men's Soccer team has quietly been building momentum and a Patriot League lead.
In Hamilton, N.Y., on Saturday night, the Eagles kept on building, riding junior midfielder Ryan Boyd's first goal of the year to a 1-0 away win over PL rivals Colgate.
While Boyd's goal, which was actually intended as a cross, may have been more good fortune than good finishing, it was a deserved result of the Eagles increasing composure and maturity.
"Our mentality has been to ... try to beat them at their game, to keep things tight, try and play for the preverbal road point, and maybe steal a win," said AU head coach Todd West of playing in the often conservative PL.
While past AU teams have failed while trying to play sexy football, this team (8-4-2 overall) has ridden discipline and opportunism to a perfect 4-0 conference record and a five-point lead in the PL standings.
Boyd put the Eagles ahead of Colgate (8-5-0, 1-3-0 PL) in the 29th minute of the match, when he drove a cross into the goal area that was mishandled by Colgate 'keeper Josh Cohen. The ball ricocheted off Cohen and over the goal line to give the Eagles the lead.
Boyd's goal came one game after senior forward David Marut scored his first two goals of the season in AU's 5-1 drubbing of Holy Cross at Reeves Field on Oct. 9.
"We think we've got some guys who can score," West said. "We're trying to find some more consistency. I think when Ryan Boyd is focused he is one of our better guys."
The Eagles created more chances, twice hitting the post, and once contriving to miss a wide-open shot from six yards. But while West would've liked more bite from his offense, he couldn't have asked any more from his defense he said. It bent, but didn't break, even clearing two balls off the goal line in the final minute.
"The back four has been absolutely great this season," West said. "They've only given up one goal in four Patriot League matches."
The performance of the substitute's bench, as well as of the defense, has been just as clutch for AU.
Boyd himself has been back-and-forth between the bench and AU's starting 11, but he only leads a charge of several Eagles who are not only becoming key role players, but motivating the starters to play well enough to keep their positions.
"We weren't confident in our bench early on," West said, in comparison to the confidence he has in it now. "If you look at the Georgetown game (on Sept. 6), we made only one sub, but we made five tonight."
The Eagles will need that depth with a schedule providing no rest for the weary. The Eagles host Loyola (Maryland) on Wednesday at Reeves Field, before a tilt with defending PL champions Bucknell on Sunday.
The Eagles finish their PL schedule on the road with matches at Lafayette and Army, sandwiched by a home out-of-conference test against Penn.
