The Boston University field hockey team will put a number of streaks on the line this weekend when it travels south to take on America East foe University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
The No. 19 Terriers (8-3, 1-0 America East) are on a five-game win streak, recording shutouts in the last four games. Then there’s the fact that the team hasn’t lost a regular-season conference match since Oct. 24, 2003. Saturday, the team will look to keep all three streaks intact against UMBC (1-8, 0-1).
Despite how uneven the match may look on paper, BU coach Sally Starr is expecting the Retrievers to fight.
“UMBC is a very scrappy team, a very athletic team,” she said. “This is going to be a team that plays hard for 70 minutes.”
The struggling Retrievers will have their work cut out for them against an almost impenetrable Terrier defense that has kept its opponents scoreless for over 334 minutes.
“When you think about it, the majority of our seasoned players – Caitlyn Cassara, Colleen McClay and Erin Calamari – play on the back end,” Starr said. “They’re very aggressive, very tenacious. It’s not always pretty the way they get things done, but they get it done.”
Goalie Erin Prediger, a third-year starter, has a goals-against average of 0.76. Her last goal allowed was on Sept. 20 against UMass-Amherst.
After starting the season 0-2, the Terriers have gone on to win eight of their last nine games. Their only loss was a 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of No. 12 Northeastern University.
“I think we’ve met my expectations for this season,” Starr said. “We’re continuing to improve every day. … There are things that we are doing that we weren’t doing in the beginning of September.”
The Terriers’ offense has benefited from some of these changes. BU has improved in taking advantage of penalty corner opportunities – a problem earlier this season for the Terriers.
Freshman Holly Wiles has been a pain for opposition goalies, scoring several times on penalty corner rebounds in the last few games. The rookie midfielder is now tied with Sarah Shute for most goals scored, with six.
In addition to Shute and Wiles, the Terriers’ offense boasts 2004 America East Rookie of the Year, Pam Spuehler. After missing six games with a concussion and wrist injury, Spuehler made her return Saturday against the University of New Hampshire and earned an assist in the 3-0 victory.
Starr said she felt confident her team was prepared to move forward as it entered the second half of the season.
“We just completed a fitness run, and in the past there have been members of the team who couldn’t complete it,” Starr said. “This year, every member of the team completed it. Not just the starters, but the bench players, the redshirts, everyone.”
