MEN'S SOCCER: Mejia Leads BC To Victory Over Fairfield

After an impressive defensive effort from both teams dictated the first 77 minutes of the game, Kevin Mejia’s goal in the 78th minute gave the No. 24 Boston College men’s soccer team (2-1-0) the 1-0 win over Fairfield (1-1-0) on Monday night at Lessing Field in Fairfield, Conn. Mejia, capitalizing on a cross from freshman Derrick Boateng, netted the winner in time to give the Eagles their second road win of the season.

The game was marked by a strong BC defense. Fairfield placed just one shot on goal from forward Jordan Ayris, which was saved by senior goaltender Justin Luthy in the 30th minute, giving Luthy a clean sheet. The Stags, who took only four shots during the game, could not put another on target. Meanwhile, the Eagles were able to place eight of their 11 shots on goal.

Mejia’s goal placed the senior atop the team’s scoring chart after the first three games.

The victory at Fairfield came a week after a close home loss to Boston University. The team opened the season by defeating Quinnipiac 2-1 on the road, a game in which Mejia also found the back of the net.

The win adds to a solid start for the Eagles, who came into the season ranked No. 14. Despite the early loss to BU, the team managed to remain in the polls, with this win making a strong case for its rising back toward their pre-season spot as BC nears the beginning of ACC play.

The Eagles will face a tough schedule during the coming weeks, beginning with a home match against the No. 4 Terrapins of Maryland on Friday night in Newton. That game, BC’s ACC opener, marks the beginning of a difficult three-match stretch, which will also see the Eagles facing ACC rival Virginia Tech and local rival No. 4 University of Connecticut, who share that position in the rankings with the Terps.

This will be a telling string of games, as it will paint a better picture of where BC stands this season. The Eagles will face a number of ranked ACC rivals over the next two months, including No. 1 University of North Carolina, the No. 15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons, the No. 23 North Carolina State University Wolfpack, and the aforementioned Terps.

While the Eagles have been successful for the past few years, they have yet to win the ACC, and these games against tough opponents will be crucial to the team’s hopes of overcoming that barrier.