Sunday’s match against the University of Maine is the final piece of the puzzle for the Boston University field hockey team. A win on the road would mean a share of the regular-season conference title and the right for the Terriers to host the conference tournament.
The No. 18 Terriers (12-5, 3-1 America East) will match up against a formidable Maine defense, which has provided the Black Bears (12-5, 4-0) with three consecutive shutouts.
“We’re expecting a very competitive match,” said BU coach Sally Starr. “They’re a well-coached team and very athletic. This is a big game.”
But the Terriers’ defense cannot be overlooked. Led by the experienced senior trio of Erin Calamari, Colleen McClay and Caitlyn Cassara – and backed up by junior goalkeeper Erin Prediger – the Terriers posted six shutouts this season, including five in a row from Sept. 24 through Oct. 8. In 17 games this season, BU has allowed its opponents to take 10.1 shots per game.
“They have been absolutely outstanding this year,” Starr said. “They come to every game and every practice motivated to do the best they can. The success of the team is paramount to good senior leadership. Rarely have I seen a team without senior leadership do very well.”
In her third year in the cage, Prediger ranks first in the conference with a 1.15 goals-against average. Maine’s Rebecca Giroux trails by over a half-goal, pulling in at 1.71 goals per game.
The Terriers snapped a two-game losing streak Wednesday night against Harvard University. After losing to then-No.12 University of Connecticut Oct. 19, the Terriers followed up with a loss to the University at Albany on Saturday. The loss, Starr said, made the team hungry.
Down 1-0 in the second half, sophomore Hadley Adams scored to tie the game in regulation. As the teams entered double overtime, sophomore Pam Spuehler scored the game-winning goal by sprinting past defenders and eluding Harvard’s goalie.
With most of the Terriers’ experienced members in the backfield, Spuehler helps lead a young and aggressive BU offense. Since returning from an injury in early October, Spuehler has not slowed from the form that made her America East Rookie of the Year last year. In the Oct. 16 match against Princeton University, Spuehler dodged defenders until she was right in front of the goalie. When the Tigers’ goalkeeper came to block her, Spuehler pushed the ball off to Holly Wiles, who put it in for the win.
Wiles is making a good case to follow in Spuehler’s footsteps as top rookie this season. The Zimbabwe native has scored nine goals in 2005 to lead the Terriers, including three game-winning goals. The duo of Wiles and sophomore Sarah Shute has combined to score 16 of the team’s 45 goals this season.
After narrowly missing a chance to make the NCAA Tournament last year, Starr had high expectations for her team this season and said that the team did not disappoint her.
“They have absolutely met my expectations,” she said. “Some of the overtime losses we’ve had – against Michigan State [University], Northeastern [University], UConn – were against top-10 teams, and they could have gone either way. Only the loss to Albany was a bad game and they actually played some good hockey. Sometimes you’re just unlucky.”
With just one game left in the regular season, the Terriers can’t help but think about the postseason. And with Northeastern’s departure from the America East Conference, Sunday’s match may be a preview of next week’s conference championship game. Still, Starr feels it’s important that the team not think too far ahead.
“We’ve done a good job of focusing all season,” she said. “You can’t get ahead of yourself. We’re just going to focus on Sunday and get it done.”
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