It might have been a freshman who struck first for the No. 16 Boston University women’s soccer team during Sunday’s regular season finale against the University of Hartford, but it was a senior who gave her the assist.
And it was a pair of seniors who found the goal two more times to lead the Terriers over the previously-unbeaten Hawks and earn BU the America East Conference regular season title and the top ranking in the conference tournament.
Overall, not a bad Senior Day.
“This was huge,” said senior forward Jessica Luscinski. “I mean, every year, you get to see the graduating class go to senior day and for it to finally be here . . . I am part of a group of nine amazing seniors and this group has just meant so much to me, so this day has been special.”
Luscinski scored the second goal of the afternoon for BU, a goal that was her eighth of the season and which now puts her one goal above Kylie Strom in the battle for the Terriers’ top scoring position. Luscinski, the reigning America East Striker of the Year, is now in second place amongst America East players for goals in conference play.
Later in the second half, Luscinski was able to help a fellow senior find the back of the net for the lone additional senior goal. Midfielder Krista Minto, whose playing time has been limited recently due to an injury, came off the bench in the 77th minute to replace freshman forward Ana Cuffia.
Three minutes later, Luscinski crossed the ball from the right side of the field to Minto, who was deep on the left. With one touch, Minto chipped the ball up, over the Hartford defenders, off goalie Erin Quinlan’s hands and into the net for the Terriers’ final goal.
Following the game, Minto was ecstatic describing the goal, her first since August.
“A ball got driven across from the far side from Jess Luscinski and I – I don’t know, we call it dangling on our team, but I was just a move and a touch and I shot it in and I was pretty pumped when it went in, so it was good,” Minto said.
Minto described the game and the day as “a great way to cap off four years.”
“It’s surreal almost – finally being a senior, finally being here, watching our group do it and now we’re here,” Minto said. “It’s crazy, in a great way.”
Fifth-year senior midfielder Brittany Heist created the opportunity for freshman Taylor Krebs to score just over 30 minutes into the first half. Heist crossed the ball from the right side of the BU half near the midline all the way up to Krebs, who was deep in the Hartford end of the field.
And when Luscinski scored the aforementioned goal, it was Heist again who fed the ball. This time, Heist passed the ball from just outside the box on the right side to Luscinski, who was a few yards away from the net on the left side and notched the goal. With the two assists, Heist now leads the Terriers.
“This is like the turning point,” Heist noted. “Last conference game, you’re never going to get one back. After five years, its just kind of like, bittersweet, you know?”
“[There is] extra special meaning in this game for me and the seniors.”
Nancy Feldman, who has coached BU for all 17 seasons of the program’s existence, agreed.
“[There was] a lot of emotion because it was Senior Day,” Feldman said.
Feldman described how the group of nine seniors (including three fifth-year seniors) has worked to continue the traditions of the program and lead the younger players, some of whom may be five years younger and who comprise the majority of the squad.
Feldman was pleased that all nine members of the graduating class got at least a few minutes of playing time on Sunday, even if they were not in the regular rotation.
“They’ve meant a lot,” Feldman said of her seniors. “They’ve carried on a lot of things, they’ve kept the culture and they’ve connected the younger players to be connected with them and they’ve done it with their own personality.
“There’s not one way to be a leader and they’ve done it their own way and it’s been effective.”
Despite the excitement of wrapping up the America East regular-season title on their special day, however, all of the seniors are looking forward to their next game: the semifinal of the America East tournament, which is a week away.
“I expect to win,” Luscinski said.
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