It was a roller coaster of emotions Sunday afternoon at Nickerson Field, as the Boston University women’s soccer team came back from a one-goal deficit to defeat Stony Brook, 2-1, in overtime.
Stony Brook (7-10-2, 5-3-1 America East) scored in the latter portions of the first half and held that lead for nearly 59 minutes of the game. However, the seniors took over, as BU (13-5-2, 8-1) scored the equalizer with less than 18 minutes left in the second half and the game-winner less than eight minutes into overtime.
‘All of us on the bench had a bit of a knot in our stomach,’ BU coach Nancy Feldman said. ‘If you care about our team at all you probably have a knot in your stomach, too.’
Stony Brook did what no other America East opponent could do this season, which was to score at Nickerson Field. Sophomore Dana Adamkiewicz sent the ball towards the left post where freshman Sa’sha Kershaw kicked it out of mid-air above the outstretched arm of BU senior goalkeeper Janie Reilly.
BU controlled the offensive pace of the game from the opening whistle until they scored the golden goal, outshooting Stony Brook 26-5 and having a 15-0 advantage on corner kicks. Although the Terriers controlled possession in the offensive zone for most of the first half, they still found themselves down a goal heading into the locker room.
‘We didn’t play our best soccer at all in the first 45 minutes and good news was we still were dominating,’ Feldman said. ‘But we needed to bring it to another level of aggressiveness but with composure to keep it and open up.’
The Terriers continued to pressure the Seawolves in the second half but had trouble creating chances off corner kicks and gaining possession in the box.
‘I think it was clear we were the stronger side,’ Feldman said. ‘They were just trying to slow us down, make us play direct and predictable, and we needed to do something that they didn’t want us to do. It took a lot more will and a lot more confidence, and that grew I think as the game went on.’
That confidence and will was on display shortly after senior Jessica Morrow scored the equalizer. After another corner kick from BU senior captain Emily Pallotta headed the ball to Morrow, who shot it past two defenders and Seawolves’ goalie Marisa Viola to send the BU faithful into pandemonium.
‘It was a couple of re-serves back and forth,’ Morrow said. ‘We had 16 corners so it needed to go in. A couple of re-serves in there and finally got a toe to poke it in.’
Morrow’s goal not only excited the fans in attendance, but also her teammates who began to play with much more confidence. BU had a chance to take the lead in regulation, their best opportunity came from senior Farrell McClernon, whose shot went off the side of her foot and wide.
McClernon and company would have the last laugh. After seven minutes passed in the first overtime session, senior Taleen Dimirdjian sent a through ball to McClernon who was streaking down the left side of the field. McClernon dribbled into the left side of the box and sent a perfect cross to senior captain Emily Pallotta whose header beat Viola in the bottom right corner of the net.
‘Before going out to overtime, my friend here Farrell McClernon said we need to commit numbers forward and she played a great cross in and that’s how we do it,’ Pallotta said. ‘We get numbers in the box and put one in.’
The key to the game winning goal was Dimirdjian’s run towards the net after her through pass to McClernon.
‘That’s an unbelievable run by Taleen [Dimirdjian],’ McClernon said. ‘If she didn’t make that [run] Emily’s got two men on her and there is no way she’s putting that away, so Taleen really opened that up for her.’
Feldman was in agreement with Taleen’s play in overtime.
‘Instead of just kind of running down the line or passing it down the line, she [Taleen Dimirdjian] took it inside and by taking it inside she opened up a lane for Farrell to run and it gave players time to really get forward into the box,’ Feldman said. ‘Taleen’s run opened up the back post. That is why Emily was open.’
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