The Boston University lacrosse team can’t avoid having a gigantic bullseye tattooed on its back when it cracks the nation’s top-10. It just can’t.
That bullseye has now caught up with the No 8/9 Terriers (12-4, 3-1 America East) on three separate occasions: the College of William ‘ Mary, Hofstra University and now No. 12/13 Dartmouth College (10-4, 5-2 Ivy League), as the Terriers lost their last road game of the season by a decisive 11-5 score.
Who knows whether or not teams really do amp up their game when they face opponents in the top-10, or if the parity in the league prevents BU from spending any extended time at the top, but whatever the reason, the Terriers six-game winning streak — and their confidence — were both dealt a huge blow last night in Hanover, N.H.
The Big Green, who secured their fourth straight win, got the scoring started early in the first half as senior Annie Leibovitz beat sophomore goalkeeper Jenna Golden (9 saves) just 2:47 into the contest. BU freshman Sarah Dalton tied the game on a free-position shot soon after on her 26th goal of the season, but that was as close as the Terriers would get, as Dartmouth ran off the next three goals in a row.
It’s not as though the Terriers didn’t know about the Big Green attack, they just weren’t ready for their stiff defense. Entering the game, Dartmouth fronted seven players with double-digits in scoring — five of whom had 30 or more points on the year. Senior Devon Wills was sporting a 7.15 goals-against average and a .498 save-percentage. Middle of the pack at best, but she certainly stood on her head last night, making nine saves and only allowing five goals against one of the most potent scoring attacks in the nation.
The Terriers entered the half trailing, 4-2, which was a bad sign, since BU is only 4-25 when trailing at the half under coach Liza Kelly. But despite the dreary outlook, the Terriers were still down just two scores. That is until Dartmouth reeled off four straight goals to start the second half, opening up an insurmountable 8-2 lead.
Junior Jen Pittman (two goals) got the Big Green scoring going after the break at the 26:55 mark. Junior Whitney Douthett (two goals, three assists) added another at 26:04 and just like that, the game was slipping away from BU. Sophomore Kristen Barry capped the 4-0 Dartmouth run with a free-position shot at 16:47. That tally jumpstarted Barry, as she carried her squad for the rest of the game. She scored the next three Dartmouth goals to finish the day with four and up her season total to 27.
Sophmore Jenny Hauser, senior Lindsay Lewis (two goals in the game) and junior Angie Martin were the Terrier goal-scorers in the second half, but it wouldn’t be nearly enough to take down the Big Green. Holding Hauser — who entered the game third in the nation in goals per game (3.80) and fifth in points per game (5.27) — to one goal is no easy task for anybody, but senior defender Lizzy Cuneo was certainly up to it last night as she held the sophomore standout to one goal and only three shots.
Dartmouth held the edge over BU in almost every area of the stat sheet. The Big Green outshot the Terriers, 27-22, and finished with a 26-22 advantage in ground balls. BU did manage to win the battle for draw controls, 10-9.
Even if the Terriers stay in the nation’s top-10, you can be sure that the University of New Hampshire will be wearing a large bullseye when it comes to Nickerson field Saturday for the final regular-season game. Not only will the Terriers’ 21-game home winning streak be on the line, but so will first place in America East. Time for the Terriers to do some target practice of their own.