After a successful Patriot League tournament where the No. 23 Boston University women’s soccer team won two thrilling games en route to a conference title, the Terriers will face off against Northeastern University in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Nickerson Field Saturday.
Fresh off their second Patriot League championship in as many years, the Terriers (14-4-3, 6-1-2 Patriot League) are rolling in on a hot streak before battling with the Huskies (14-4-3) , as BU has won five straight contests – dating back to its 2-0 win over Colgate University on Oct. 22.
Junior forward Jenna Fisher made a big impact in the Patriot League Championship game against Colgate (14-3-2, 7-1-1 Patriot League), recording both assists in the 2-1 victory. Fisher often found herself setting up junior midfielder Clare Pleuler, who tallied the game-winning goal against the Raiders.
Pleuler has stepped up off the bench and has become a clutch player as she scored two game-winning goals in the tournament. She has scored four goals this season off 13 shots.
The Terriers and Huskies played a thrilling game earlier this season on Sept. 14 at Nickerson Field, where the Huskies escaped with a 1-0 victory on an 85th minute goal.
Both teams were evenly matched, as they each got six shots off in the second period. Senior goaltender Alyssa Parisi fended off Northeastern throughout the second half as she deflected two shots that came her way, but could not keep the Huskies off the scoreboard.
The Huskies have successfully repeated as Colonial Athletic Association champions after their 2-0 victory over Hofstra University on Sunday. The Terriers will have to be on the lookout for CAA Defensive Player of the Year in senior defender Bianca Calderone – who scored the game-winning goal in the Terriers’ first matchup with the Huskies.
Defender Mackenzie Dowd has also come on strong down the stretch for the Huskies, as she captured the CAA Championship’s Most Outstanding Player award.
The Terriers have an opportunity to neutralize Calderone with Patriot League Tournament Most Valuable Player senior defender Kai Miller. Miller, a first team All-Patriot League selection, has been instrumental in anchoring the BU backline.
In attempting to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season, the Terriers will hope for another strong showing from Miller, Parisi and the BU defense. The team boasts a 0.67 goals against average and has only let up two goals in its last five games.
BU coach Nancy Feldman was not available for comment.
Doug covers women's soccer and other sports for the Daily Free Press. When he's not doing schoolwork, writing, or being a social butterfly on campus, he enjoys playing the piano, or hitting the course for a round of golf.
