Farrell McClernon has got her groove back.
The sophomore forward notched two assists in the Terriers’ 2-0 domination of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers on Sunday. McClernon’s productive performance against the Retrievers came on the heels of her tallying one assist in a 3-1 win over the University of Maine on Thursday.
“She didn’t score any goals [against UMBC] or Maine, but they were her two best games of the year, and probably two of the best games she has played in her career,” said BU coach Nancy Feldman.
McClernon led the Terriers with seven goals in 2006, but has struggled at times this season, scoring only twice in BU’s first 14 games. Her inconsistent play has prompted Feldman to the leave the star on the bench for long stretches in the second half of games.
The reason for McClernon’s success is as simple as simplifying her game, Feldman believes. It was a case of trying to play too many different roles on the field, but sessions of watching film and discussions about her role has the talented sophomore back on the right track and focused again, the coach added.
“Farrell has always been of the hardest workers and fiercest competitors on the team, but sometimes she tries to do too much and ends up doing too much,” Feldman said. “If she just tries to keep things simple and not take on too many things, she will score a boatload of goals and get a ton of assists for us.”
McClernon seemed to take Feldman’s lesson to heart against UMBC almost immediately. Just four minutes into the contest she beat a UMBC defender and sent a sharp left-footed cross toward the UMBC goal. A Retriever defender tipped it away from the goal, but junior midfielder Marisha Schumacher-Hodge volleyed the ball into the right corner of the net.
McClernon went back to work, sending a low pass toward oncoming Terrier freshman forward Stephanie Croghan in the 16th minute. McClernon’s pass led Croghan past her defender, and the freshman knocked the ball away from UMBC goalie and pounded the ball into the net.
The goal tied Croghan for the team lead in goals with three and marked the second straight game that Croghan scored off a McClernon feed, showing a remarkable chemistry between the two.
“Stephanie has dynamic movement and she is easy to find,” McClernon said. “She is a finisher, so you just got to give her a half chance.”
“Farrell is great and she moves so well off the ball and does the dirty work,” Croghan said. “I am left with easy finishes.”
Five minutes later Croghan nearly returned the favor to McClernon. The freshman lofted a pass into the box that McClernon retrieved just wide on net as she was falling down.
The Terriers, who were boosted by McClernon’s crisp and intelligent passing, had a 7-0 edge in corner kicks and 7-1 edge in shots in the first half, but were not able to score again before halftime.With 20 minutes gone by in the half, McClernon just missed connecting with Croghan on a pass into the box. McClernon also sent a cross toward sophomore midfielder Emily Pallotta in the last minute of play that Pallotta headed just wide.
Overall, McClernon believes her improved play has come as a result of the team becoming more and more comfortable playing together.
“I think as the season progresses we are meshing much better and we are hitting our stride, attacking-wise,” she said.