There may be a few games left in the Boston University lacrosse team’s season, but what an up-and-down season it truly has been to this point.
The Terriers entered the season without vaunted scorer Sarah Dalton, who graduated last year after setting program records for points and goals in a season in 2009 as well as the career marks in both categories. But the team was nonetheless picked to win its sixth-straight America East championship and was ranked No. 10/11 in the nation, thanks in part to the return of senior attackers Traci Landy and McKinley Curro and senior goalkeeper Rachel Klein.
After the team jumped out to a quick 3-0 start, including perhaps its most impressive win of the season with a 15-10 decision at home over then-No. 16/18 College of William and Mary, and rose to No. 7/9 in the rankings, BU hit the most difficult patch of its schedule. The Terriers won only two of their next eight. Five of those six losses came to nationally ranked opponents, with the most difficult loss coming on a double-overtime 7-6 heartbreaker to then-No. 15 Notre Dame University on March 20, and the Terriers eventually dropped out of the national rankings completely.
As much as that difficult schedule hurt the Terriers in the early going, it appeared to help immensely once the team began facing the lowlier AE foes. BU was never seriously challenged by a conference rival all season and is currently undefeated with a 5-0 record. Even the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, who coaches picked to finish second in the preseason conference poll, fell to the Terriers, 10-4. As if that wasn’t enough to prove their dominance, the Terriers’ margin of victory in conference games has been seven goals per game, including two wins by an 11-goal margin in their two most recent triumphs over Stony Brook University and University of Vermont.
No doubt Landy and Curro played two of the biggest roles in the Terriers’ success this season. The pair ranks first and second in goals in AE with 42 and 40, respectively. Fellow senior attacker Xan Weitzel ranks first in assists with 27.
With only regular-season game left on the docket, the Terriers have a date with the only other undefeated team in AE, University at Albany, to decide who gets home-field advantage in the AE Tournament. BU will need to rely on this trio of attackers, as well as Klein and the rest of the defense, if they are to repeat the postseason successes of BU teams past.
Predictions &’ Analysis
Sam Dykstra
I’ve never really subscribed to the philosophy that losing a game against a tougher opponent will help you win down the road, but this year’s BU lacrosse team really proved me wrong.
When they lost to Syracuse University and Boston College by more than five goals at home, I thought that there was no way the team could take anything positive out of this. But BU coach Liz Robertshaw always said how much those games would prepare her team for conference play, and here they stand, undefeated in conference and in the driver’s seat for yet another AE title.
Sure, UAB still stands in their way, but it’s because of the team’s tough out-of-conference slate that I believe the Terriers will have no problem returning to the NCAA Tournament this season. However, because of their struggles against non-AE teams, I’m less confident about how that tournament will shake out.
As for the more distant future, I have a little more difficulty claiming that AE will continue to be a cakewalk for the Terriers.
To paraphrase former BU men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino, Sarah Dalton won’t be walking through that door. Traci Landy, McKinley Curro and Xan Weitzel, all won’t be walking through that door after commencement in May. It’ll be up to any combination of Hannah Frey, Catie Tilton, Danielle Etrasco and Kristen Mogavero to replace the scoring lost by the graduation of this year’s senior stars.
However, I expect the defense, led by rising senior midfielder Corcoran Downey and rising sophomore goalkeeper Kim Elsworth, who has shown plenty of promise in her limited playing time this year, to be just as strong.
If the attack can mirror the defense, perhaps the Terriers will be raising their seventh-straight AE trophy this time next year,
Teddy Mazurek
The BU lacrosse team has one game left on its regular season schedule, and anyone who has been following AE lacrosse this year they should see the importance of the Terriers’ contest against Albany. The winner of Saturday’s game in Albany will receive the regular season championship and get the rights to host the semis and possibly championship game.
In my book, the winner of Sunday’s game will also be the AE Champion. Home field is a huge advantage in lacrosse, especially among the top teams in the conference. BU has not lost a conference game at home since 2004, while Albany is undefeated all season at home.
BU must control the Albany offense, which ranks No. 2 nationally at 15.71 goals per game, by using aggressive defense. If senior goalie Rachel Klein plays poorly, the Terriers will have no chance to win.
The Terriers need a third scorer to emerge on Saturday, as seniors McKinley Curro and Traci Landy cannot alone defeat the nation’s fifth-best defense. The Terriers have played well the last two games, while Albany has struggled, but home-field advantage gives the Great Danes the advantage in my book.
Bridget Burgoyne
The 2010 BU lacrosse team has had a rollercoaster season. It’s clear that plenty of talent exists on the team, as demonstrated by its crushing performances against virtually every in-conference team. New Hampshire was supposed to provide a challenging rivalry, but the Terriers came out on top against the Wildcats, 10-4. But these same women struggled in most of their out-of-conference matchups. Although this season’s schedule was more challenging than past years’, it was still disappointing to see the ladies lose to teams they should have been on even ground with, namely Commonwealth Avenue rival Boston College.
As for the remainder of the regular season, if all of the girls show up to play, I believe the Terriers have the talent to beat conference-unbeaten Albany in their regular season finale. The Terriers won’t face good enough competition to lose in the AE tournament, and as long each player competes at her best level, I have full confidence the Terriers can stay on par with top-ranked teams in the NCAA Tournament. However, if any member of the team falls short and communication is lost, as was the case earlier in the season, the Terriers could go home early.
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