The stakes continue to elevate for the No. 15 Boston University field hockey team, and an NCAA Tournament First Round match against one of the nation’s best teams beckons.
Led by senior co-captains Sofi Laurito and Rachel Coll, the Terriers (15-6, 6-0 Patriot League) battle No. 1 University of North Carolina on Saturday, and there will be no room for error. The winner will take on whoever emerges from a high-profile clash between No. 7 Wake Forest University and No. 10 University of Michigan.
Standing in the way for the Terriers, though, is a potent Tar Heel (18-2) side that has rarely been threatened all year long. All it takes is one look at their prolific offense and stout defense to gain an understanding of just how formidable a squad North Carolina coach Karen Shelton has assembled.
Five Tar Heel players have 20 points or more, but senior Emily Wold and sophomore Gab Major stand out from their teammates. The former is a member of the U.S. National Team and has 39 points in 2015, while the latter has 42 points and three game-winning strikes.
On the defensive side of things, the Tar Heels are just as strong. Goalkeeper Shannon Johnson boasts a .723 save percentage and allows a meager 1.23 goals per game. The Terriers have a tall task ahead of themselves on paper, but they’re in the midst of a run of good form.
The Patriot League Tournament and regular season champions have won five of their last six games, and saved arguably their strongest performance for when it counted the most.
In the NCAA Tournament Play-In Round, BU overwhelmed Fairfield University by a score of 6-1. Six different players got on the scoresheet, while the Stags (9-10) didn’t even register a shot until the second half.
The defense made junior goalkeeper Cammy Jensen’s day markedly easier, but the offensive depth was just as important. Senior back Rachel Feig recorded her first goal of the year, junior forward Taylor Blood solidified her recovery from a concussion by tallying her fifth score of the year and several other usual suspects fired home.
With all of that in mind, the Terriers are firing on all cylinders with a do-or-die scenario in the near future. The Tar Heels will possess in bunches and chances can’t be wasted, but BU is 70 minutes away from extending its quest for silverware.
Jonathan's a New Englander who writes about sports, features and politics. He currently covers men's hockey at BU, worked as Sports Editor during the spring 2016 semester and is on the FreeP's Board of Directors. Toss him a follow on Twitter at @jonathansigal.
