Thanks to second-half goals from sophomores Shauna Kelleher and Corie Halasz, the Boston University women’s soccer team started its conference season properly yesterday at Nickerson Field, knocking off the University at Albany, 2-0.
BU (6-5-0, 1-0-0 America East) assaulted the Great Dane defense all day, logging 25 shots — 14 on goal — and controlling the ball for the majority of the game. The Terriers spread the Albany (2-10-0, 0-1-0) defense by consistently keeping the ball out wide, generating numerous crosses and scoring opportunities, as well as nine corner kicks.
Albany goalkeeper Amber Maisonet handled the pressure well and until about halfway through the second half, the game remained scoreless.
Finally, with 25:48 left in regulation, Kelleher one-timed a pass from back Lina Cords from 22 yards out, putting the ball just under the crossbar for her first collegiate goal and the Terriers’ first tally of the contest.
BU didn’t rest on its one-goal lead for long, though, as Halasz blasted a shot from 35 yards out that flew just above Maisonet’s outreached fingers and into the back of the net.
“I mean, [the shot] was wishful thinking,” Halasz, a midfielder from Milford, Conn., said. “I do think that it was within my range. The outer limits maybe, but I was definitely shooting to score. It’s something that coach talks about. She always says don’t just shoot to get it on net — shoot to score.
“Our game plan for this game was to use the width — keep switching the ball and stretch the other team out. When my shot came, I just figured, ‘Why not?’ We were getting unlucky — we had so many opportunities. I figured I might as well put this up, and if the goalie gets a touch, maybe we’ll get the rebound.”
The Terriers expressed frustration with their inability to get the ball to the back of the net, despite an overpowering offensive performance. In their last two games, the Terriers have put 24 shots on net, coming away with just three goals. Halasz said the team could blame yesterday’s finishing woes on bad luck, but also said BU needs to work on gaining the ball.
“We’ve been working on expanding in the final third, getting whatever we can on the ball,” Halasz said. “Today we did do that, whereas previously, maybe that’s something we struggled with.”
Defensively, the Terriers played a strong game, allowing Albany to plant six shots on net, none of which challenged BU goalkeepers Janie Reilly and Annie Tooley. Tooley, who entered the game with 11 minutes left in regulation, registered the first save of her collegiate career, while numerous other Terriers saw action for the first time in BU’s first victory by more than one goal this season.
BU coach Nancy Feldman said that, while she thinks her team is playing well, the Terriers still have a lot of work to do and must continue to improve as the season progresses.
“We can still get better,” Feldman said. “We can finish more, so that’s an area we can get better. Our defending in the first half really wasn’t aggressive enough. It was good when we needed it to be in our back half, but I don’t think it was good enough in our front half. We have to create more turnovers to make more attacking opportunities. There’s a lot of things we have to get better at.”