The Boston University women’s soccer team will continue its road stretch Saturday when it travels to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to play Lehigh University.
The Terriers (6-3-2, 2-0-1 Patriot League) are in the middle of a three-game road trip, having just defeated the College of Holy Cross 3-0 Wednesday.
In Worcester, BU handed the Crusaders (9-1-2,1-1-1 Patriot League) their first loss of the season. Junior forward Jenna Fisher led BU off with a goal in the first half, while senior midfielders Jamie Turchi and Katherine Lim each added their names to the scoring list within a seven-minute span in the second half. Holy Cross never found its rhythm on offense, recording only three shots through 90 minutes of play.
“We did a good job of keeping possession of the ball and winning our battles at 50-50 [balls],” said BU coach Nancy Feldman.
Feldman added, though, that one game did not speak to the team’s long-term offensive capability.
“Right now, I wouldn’t say our offense is clicking,” Feldman said. “It was nice to see us find an aggressiveness in attack, but it was also that we won our 50-50 balls, we had mobility off the ball, we defended well.”
With the win, the Terriers stand in second place in the Patriot League, tied with the Mountain Hawks (4-2-2, 2-0-1 Patriot League) in the early stages of conference play. Just two points separate Lehigh and BU from undefeated Colgate University.
Lehigh is returning home after a two-game away stretch. On Sept. 26, Lehigh played Bucknell University to a 0-0 draw that lasted through double overtime. Then on Tuesday, the Mountain Hawks traveled to Lafayette College and came away with a 2-1 victory.
Lehigh freshman Grace Correll delivered both goals against the Leopards (3-7, 0-3 PL). Grace leads the Mountain Hawks with four goals and two assists in seven games. The rookie is also tied for fourth in the Patriot League in goals scored and is second in the conference in points average with 1.43 per game. Feldman described Correll as “having a lot of pace and is really dangerous in attack.”
However, Correll is not the only offensive threat Lehigh may unload on the Terriers on Saturday. Senior Darby Wiegand leads the conference in shots average with 3.38 per game.
BU’s Fisher is having similar success relative to the rest of the league. Fisher is tied for third in total points with 10 and tied for second in total goals with five, which also leads the Terriers.
“What Jenna Fisher does is she gets her nose stuck in there, and I call them a little bit dirty goals,” Feldman said. “And I don’t mean she’s not technical. The goals she’s scoring are the goals that help a team get going with goal scoring. The type of goals that open up other people.
“She’s been terrific. She’s just a relentless pursuer of the ball in attack, and she has a persistence, and she’s gotten some great goals and some dirty goals. That’s what she did last year.”
Last season, BU dominated the Mountain Hawks 3-0 in a matchup at Nickerson Field. The Terriers built a huge advantage in opportunities, leading Lehigh 18-2 in total shots. Two of that game’s goal-scorers have graduated, however, and Lehigh possesses home advantage for this meeting.
“All games against Patriot League opponents are tough, and why they’re tough is because teams like Lehigh are organized,” Feldman said. “We’re at the same place in the table. [Every team] is really motivated to get their points and putting themselves in position for being in the tournament, and they’ve proven right now to be pretty capable.”
