Soccer, Sports

Women’s soccer enters season as ‘team to beat’ in America East

Over the last decade, the Boston University women’s soccer team has established itself as the supreme force of the America East. Every year since 2004, the team has been selected by the conference as most likely to win the regular season title. This year, the Terriers were the unanimous victor in the same poll.

“We have established ourselves as the team to beat in the conference,” said BU coach Nancy Feldman. “We also know that the target has been on our back for a while, and we relish it. I would much rather be in that position than be picked No. 8 or No. 9, and you don’t have the respect yet because you haven’t earned the respect yet of the other coaches.”

If any season were deserving of great respect, it is the Terriers’ record-breaking 2011 campaign. BU finished ranked No. 17 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll after bowing out to then No. 6 Wake Forest University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Terriers shattered their previous record of 16 wins as they finished the season with a record of 19-3-1. Other records broken by the team include fewest losses in a season (3), longest winning streak (14) and most goals scored (54).

The seemingly unstoppable offensive surge that pushed the Terriers to such a successful 2011 season will be forced to persist without its primary contributor.  Midfielder Jessica Luscinski, who finished her career tied for third in career goals scored (29) and second in career points (82) on the BU all-time list, graduated in the spring. However, junior midfielder Kylie Strom, who shared the Most Valuable Offensive Player honor with Luscinski last year, will be returning.

With only two returning seniors, Feldman will largely be relying on youth to carry the team to another America East championship. Seven freshmen, eight sophomores and nine juniors round out the remainder of the roster. Feldman said that she is impressed by the tenacity of her younger players during preseason workouts.

“They compete really hard, they are respectful and they are observing the players and how they go about their business,” Feldman said in regards to her incoming freshman class. “As a group they are quick, they are athletic, they are not super big size-wise, but they have a bite to them.”

The Terriers will also face challenges within their own schedule this year, as they will be pitted against such powerhouses as no. 1 Stanford University and cross-town rival no. 11 Boston College.

Feldman has chosen the classic “one game at a time” philosophy to guide her.

“I think the kids are thinking the same way I’m thinking which is, ‘[Friday] we play Central Connecticut State University,” she said. “After we play that we have the next game, and that will be our focus.”

BU cannot compete in the America East tournament and will not be able to make the national tournament through an America East tournament championship. However, a successful regular season, especially against its tough non-conference schedule, could help them obtain an at-large bid to the national tournament.

“Certainly the conference games in the regular season have added significance because we only get one shot at a title and that is the regular-season title and when that part of the season rolls around we are all going to be very motivated to bring home the regular-season championship,” Feldman said. “But that is really not any different from what we have done over the last couple of years. Our approach really isn’t changing.”

The Terriers will open their season against Central Connecticut on Friday night at Nickerson Field.

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