Lacrosse, Sports

Defensive breakdowns coupled with lack of execution dooms lacrosse team

MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF Junior attack Elizabeth Morse scored 2 goals in BU’s loss to University at Albany.
MICHELLE JAY/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF
Junior attack Elizabeth Morse scored 2 goals in BU’s loss to University at Albany.

Despite another solid game from the veterans on attack, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team fell to the University at Albany by a score of 17-9 on a windy Wednesday afternoon at Nickerson Field.

The Terriers’ (3-6, 0-2 America East) combination of defensive breakdowns and lack of execution on offense ultimately made the contest a difficult game for BU coach Liz Robertshaw to watch.

“Obviously, it’s disappointing,” Robertshaw said. “It was just a disappointing game. I thought Albany came out and was ready to go and was very aggressive on us, which I thought was smart. I know the last game they played against Stony Brook [University], they were kind of slowing it down … but they came at us.

“On attack, we had some good looks, but we didn’t necessarily finish the ball the way I hoped. Overall, it is a disappointing game.”

Albany (7-4, 2-1 America East) struck first when redshirt freshman Rachel Bowles scored to give the Great Danes a 1-0 lead at about three minutes into the contest.

The Terriers responded five minutes later, as senior attack Danielle Etrasco scored two goals in less than two minutes to give the Terriers a 2-1 lead. Less than a minute after Etrasco’s second goal, junior attack Elizabeth Morse scored off on a free-position shot to give BU a two-goal lead.

The Great Danes quickly answered back, scoring six straight goals in just over seven minutes to take a 7-3 lead. Etrasco scored her third goal of the day with 10:24 remaining to cut the deficit down to three.

Etrasco and freshman midfielder Jill Horka both found the back of the net over the next 30 seconds to bring the Great Danes lead down to one.

Despite the great response from the Terriers, Albany regained control during the final ten minutes of the first half, outscoring BU 5-1 to take a 12-7 lead into halftime.

The Terriers scored the first goal of the second half, as Etrasco found the back of the net for the fifth time on the day to bring BU within four.

The Great Danes put the game out of reach over the next 11 minutes of play, scoring five goals to extend their lead to 17-8 with less than three minutes to play in the game.

Morse scored her second goal of the game with 2:11 remaining to bring the score to 17-9, which would become the final tally.

The Terriers finished the game with a 15-13 advantage in draw controls, a positive result from a team that has struggled in securing the draw this season, as BU currently ranks last in the conference with fewer than 10 draws per game.

Despite their successes at controlling the draw, the Terriers were edged out by the Great Danes in ground balls, 18-12.

Senior Rachael Burek had a huge game for the Great Danes, scoring three goals and recording six assists to finish with nine points.

“Their leading scorers, who we talked about and who I thought were going to do some damage, did,” Robertshaw said. “Rachael Burek had at least eight points. She’s a good player and she really took it to us.”

Goalkeeper Anna Berman, who entered the game ranked ninth in the conference in save percentage (.427), stymied the Terriers’ offense throughout the game, recording eight saves and holding the Terriers to just two goals in the final 30 minutes of action.

After the game, Robertshaw said the team would have to work on solving miscommunication issues on defense, and especially finishing plays on offense.

“We had opportunities to get the ball, I just don’t think we finished the play,” Robertshaw said. “That is something that I addressed with the team afterwards, which is that we’re watching. We’re watching these games go by, watching these plays go by, and we have to start making our own plays happen and stop watching.”

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