Freshman forward Erika Kosienski scored the only goal as the Terriers went on to beat Navy for the Patriot League title.
When it was all said and done, it was business as usual for the No. 25 Boston University women’s soccer team.
The Terriers (14-3-4, 10-1 Patriot League) finished the conference playoffs with a bang as they beat the top-seeded U.S. Naval Academy 1-0 for their first-ever Patriot League Championship. They will return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.
“It was very exciting,” said BU coach Nancy Feldman. “We were confident. We put ourselves in a position to win. Navy’s a very good team, very dynamic, fielding tons of attacking players. We needed to be very strong and put pressure on our opponents, especially with a windy day like this. I was confident in my team. We were ready, and we battled back.”
BU and Navy (16-5, 8-2 Patriot League) matched each other on both sides of the ball before freshman forward Erica Kosienski came through in the 42nd minute after being substituted in when she scored on a shot from 10 yards out. The ball went just underneath the crossbar and across the goal line to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. The Terriers finished the game with 10 total shots, five of which were on target.
“It was not a surprise [regarding Kosienski’s score],” Feldman said. “She comes off the bench and becomes that spark. She’s a natural goal scorer and a very valuable player to have on your team. We’re lucky, and honestly, everybody played a part in [winning].”
Defensively, senior goalkeeper Andrea Green was once again dominant, holding the aggressive Midshipmen offense scoreless, making two important saves to keep the shutout intact. For her efforts in the playoffs, Green walked off the field as the Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player.
The two teams previously met Sept. 20 in the regular season when the Terriers fell 1-0 to Navy on an own goal in the 43rd minute. Feldman said the Terriers were looking forward to a rematch since that game.
“It was definitely in our minds,” Feldman said about the last matchup. “We didn’t feel good about [that game] at all. We learned about it a lot. If you were to ask [what team] we would’ve wanted to play again, every one of us would’ve said Navy. That’s who we wanted to finish the season with.
“But I’m proud that our players did a good job of keeping our mentality up of ‘one game at a time, one play at a time’ … I’m quite pleased that [we were] determined to get the chance to come back and play the best game we could play. We’re so persistent to stay with it and not get discouraged about our chances.”
No stranger to the postseason, BU had tremendous success during its time in the America East Conference, capturing nine conference championships, including five straight titles from 2007 to 2011. The Terriers are now 9-1-1 overall in league championship games and will compete for the NCAA title next week. An official selection will be announced Monday to determine the Terriers’ next opponent.
“We’re really proud to represent the Patriot League for the upcoming tournament,” Feldman said. “It’s always the best part of the year, and we’re always prepare for it starting with the season’s ends. We’re thrilled. Last year we didn’t get a chance to make it, and we were incredibly disappointed about that.
“But it’s incredible to know that we have a good sense of how we want to play and a good sense of team overall. Playing the best for your teammate, having the will to play through adversity … it’s powerful. We’re all in this thing together, and we believe in each other, and I know that will carry us further to becoming the best team in the league.”
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