In an effort to generate more offense, Boston University field hockey Coach Sally Starr has moved junior Celeste Hubbard from her midfield position up to striker. Hubbard currently leads the team with five goals and is tied with junior forward Lindsey Domers for the team lead in points with 12. The move has already started to work out for the Terriers, who have taken 31 shots over their past two games, a 1-0 victory over Yale University and a 2-0 win against the University of Rhode Island. While this is an impressive total for shots, Starr is more encouraged by the quality than the quantity.
“We had more quality scoring chances today [in the Terrier’s win over Rhode Island],” Starr said.
Hubbard deserves much of the credit for this offensive outburst. Against Rhode Island, Hubbard led the Terrier attack with several beautiful runs up the middle of the field. On Sunday, Hubbard teamed up with junior midfielder Dalinda Banuelos on many effective combination plays that led to scoring chances for BU.
The Terriers are counting on Hubbard to provide them with a commanding offensive presence during their upcoming America East schedule. Hubbard scored three times in conference play last season. The Terriers begin their conference schedule this weekend with a home game against the University of Maine, who last year beat the Terriers, 7-1. The Black Bears are in the midst of a nine-game win streak that has seen them rise to No. 19 in the latest rankings. BU received five votes in this week’s poll.
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Starr wants the Terriers to focus on playing with intensity for a full 70 minutes, as the team has been prone to getting off to sluggish starts. The team has played well late in games, outscoring their opponents, 11-5, in the second half this year…
Senior goalkeeper Susan Harrington is having a terrific season for the Terriers. Harrington has allowed only 14 goals in 11 games for a 1.27 goal per game average. After consecutive shutouts against Yale and Rhode Island this past weekend, Harrington has gone more than 149 minutes since allowing a goal. Harrington last allowed a goal with 10 minutes left to play in the Terriers’ Sept. 29 game against Ball State University. Also deserving credit for this streak is the Terrier defense, which has allowed opponents just seven shots over the last two games…
Starr is excited about the return of junior forward Whitney Peabody from injury. Peabody is the team’s top returning scorer from last year (six goals) and should provide BU with some much need scoring help…
The Terriers have played a tough schedule so far this year, with games against No. 1 University of Maryland, No. 2 University of Michigan, and No. 14 Boston College. This big-game experience could pay dividends for BU as the Terriers enter a stretch in which three of the next four games are against teams ranked in the Top 20. The Terriers’ next four opponents are No. 19 Maine, No. 15 Princeton University, the University of New Hampshire on Oct. 19, and No. 16 University of California at Berkeley on Oct.20…
If the Terriers can beat Maine on Saturday, it will increase their winning streak to four games, something the team hasn’t had since Oct. 14-21, 2000. The Terriers’ all-time longest winning streak occurred in 1985, when BU won 11 games in a row.