Halfway point of the season – looking back, looking forward

This weekend’s competitions against the University of Virginia and Old Dominion University will mark the midpoint of the season for the Boston University women’s field hockey. The road trip could be a crucial turning point in the season for the Terriers (3-5) whether they win or lose. Two wins would bring up their record to .500 and possibly lift them back up into the national top 20, while two losses would put them in a hole that could be difficult to overcome.

Looking back over the first eight games of the season, in addition to the four preseason games, the Terriers truly have had a better run than their record may indicate, playing competitively against some of the top teams in the nation. They have adapted well to losing players to injuries and having some players, including junior Allie Dolce, move positions at times in order to help the team. After a successful weekend, it looks like their work is finally beginning to pay off.

At this point in the season, the Terriers will inevitably begin to look forward to the America East playoffs. Last year, they failed to win their fourth-straight conference title, losing in the semifinals to the University at Albany, and though winning in the regular season is obviously their immediate concern, moving beyond last year’s disappointment on their quest to capture their fourth conference title in six years may be their ultimate goal for the season.

Jacinda McLeod ‘- Student Athlete of the Week

One of the important things to keep in mind about the Terriers this season is that they are a young team, as BU coach Sally Starr has frequently pointed out, relying on contributions from a number of talented freshmen to win games. One of those freshmen, New Zealand-native Jacinda McLeod, was named BU’s Student Athlete of the Week by GoTerriers.com.

McLeod scored twice, including her first collegiate goal, in the Terriers’ Saturday victory over Sacred Heart University, and eventually had five points on the day. She is a vital part of the Terriers’ corner plays, which were incredibly successful this weekend ‘-‘- five of the 10 corners they received against Sacred Heart were converted into goals. When she missed the game against Boston College on Sept. 12 due to a red card, the team’s corner percentage was visibly affected, as it went 1-for-10 that game.

In addition to her impressive offensive output, Starr has described her as ‘the quarterback of our defense,’ and despite her relative youth, McLeod handles her responsibilities with ease. She helped the team to two shutouts this weekend and is often the defender to help the team regroup, set up a play and go on the offensive after gaining possession of the ball. Central to both the Terriers’ offense and defense, McLeod will likely continue to be a leader on the team for the next four years.

Offense ‘- BU’s strong point so far

Though their win-loss record is not quite what the Terriers would like it to be, their offensive statistics tell a different and more positive story. So far, in eight regular-season games, BU has outshot its opponents 116-70, outscored them 19-17, and also holds an overwhelming edge in corners, 68-37. These numbers, of course, got a significant boost from the Terriers’ sound beating of Sacred Heart on Saturday, but they do reflect the trend of the season so far: offensively, the Terriers have been dominant, even in losses.

Much of this offense has been produced by Dolce and senior Nikki Lloyd, who have been strong all-around leaders for the team, but contributions from McLeod, freshman Nicole van Oosterom, and sophomore Giovanna Monaco (who scored the game-winner against Dartmouth College on Sunday) have also been crucial in recent games.

Starr has said she’s proud of the team’s offensive output and that its individual defense is what needs to be improved. If the Terriers can keep up the offensive onslaught and tighten up their defense, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the second half of the season.