A Night of Firsts in Orlando
Boston University’s men’s soccer team opened its 2026 campaign on the road against UCF, the reigning Sun Belt champions, and left Orlando with a 1‑0 defeat.
UCF broke the deadlock in the 56th minute when Takahiro Fujita converted a chance created by sustained pressure, ending a first half in which BU managed only a single shot.
Goalkeeper Ben Alexander kept the Terriers within striking distance with four saves before the break, but UCF outshot BU 17‑6 over the course of the match, with five of those attempts arriving after halftime.
The defensive battle produced three yellow cards for BU and two for UCF, while a wave of debutants — including Jacob Kobane, Guillem Vila Ametller, Chinelo Robinson, Kaelen Kunar, Jonah Greenblatt, Ryan Ghajar and Hayes Benzan — took the field for their collegiate bows.
Freshman Jacob Kobane earned his first start and showed promise, while the other newcomers each logged minutes as BU attempted to reshape its lineup.
UCF will next face Northeastern on August 28 at Parsons Field, a matchup that could further cement the Knights’ early-season momentum.