After starting the season off with two victories, the Boston University women’s soccer team is currently amidst a five-game winless streak, in which it has recorded three losses and two ties. The Terriers have dropped games to Boston College, University of Connecticut and Penn State University over the stretch. But they have managed ties against Loyola College and the No. 7 Mountaineers of West Virginia University.
The Terriers are looking to battle the rest of the way behind the efforts of their two leading scorers, sophomore Jessica Luscinski and senior Farrell McClernon. BU will also need a strong effort out of its goaltender, senior Janie Reilly. Reilly has split time thus far this season with sophomore Annie Tooley, but figures to take the bulk of the minutes once conference season rolls around.
Thus far, the Terriers have outshot their opponents 94-88. However, more shots do not always translate to more goals, and BU has only converted five times this season, while their opponents have recorded seven tallies. BU will need to convert those shots into goals against a quality team like the Northeastern University, who the Terriers play on Sept. 18 to close out a six-game road trip.
Down the road, BU will have to look out for American East rivals the University of Hartford and the University at Albany, likely the strongest competitors for the Terriers in the conference. No one is running away with the conference just yet, seeing as not one team currently has a winning record. Playing well down the stretch will be vital for the Terriers. Eight out of their last 12 games are against conference rivals.
Friday’s game against Northeastern is the last of the Terriers’ six-game road trip. Then they come back to Nickerson Field for a three-game home stand hosting Ivy League schools Harvard University and Dartmouth College, along with American East foe Binghamton University.
After several trips on the road, the team will come back to Boston for another three-game home stand, which will close out the season. The team will host Hartford, Bryant University and the University of Maryland ‘- Baltimore County. If the Terriers can close out the season on a positive note, they will take part in the American East Women’s Soccer Championship, which starts on Oct. 29.
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Players to watch:
As BU prepares to defend its America East title, here are five players to keep an eye on when conference play begins in just a few weeks.
Jessica Luscinski, Sophomore, Midfielder
As a freshman, Luscinski earned America East All-Rookie honors. She was named GoTerriers.com Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of Aug. 31st for her performances against the University of Rhode Island and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She leads the team in shots (21) and is tied with teammate Farrell McClernon in goals (2) and points (4).
‘Jessica is a very dynamic player with an aggressive mentality,’ BU coach Nancy Feldman said. ‘She can strike the ball at goal with power, and she has tons of experience because she played a lot of minutes as a freshman.’
Farrell McClernon, Senior, Forward
McClernon was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team as a junior. During the past four years combined, she has racked up 15 goals, nine assists, and 39 points. This year, she scored the game-winning goal against UMass in front of a record crowd of 4,963 fans at the Terrier Tailgate.
‘Farrell is a very determined player with an incredible work rate,’ Feldman said. ‘She creates opportunities for herself and wears down other teams’ defenders. Her motor is always going.’
Megan McGoldrick, Freshman, Midfielder
McGoldrick, a Reading native, made her mark at Reading Memorial High School where she shined for four years, leading the team in scoring in each season. She leads BU with two assists and has two points so far this season.
‘Megan has been a pleasant surprise,’ Feldman said. ‘She’s extremely technical and competes like a champion. She has fit in remarkably as a first year player and has a bright future ahead of her.’
Emily Pallotta, Senior, Midfielder
As a junior, Pallotta was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team. Just like her classmate McClernon, she has started 63 games and played in 64 over the past four seasons. She has scored 13 goals, 10 assists, and 36 points in her Terrier career.
‘Emily has had her best three or four game stretch as a Terrier these last few weeks,’ Feldman said. ‘She’s a competitive and emotional player with an incredible spirit. As one of the three captains of the team, she always rises to the occasion.’
Janie Reilly, Senior, Goalkeeper
Reilly made the America East All-Conference Second team as a sophomore. This season, opponents have only scored two goals against her, and she has made 14 saves in her 323 minutes in net. Reilly and the other half of BU’s goalkeeping platoon, sophomore Annie Tooley, have combined for three shutouts this season.
‘Janie’s an extremely talented goalkeeper and a real shot stopper,’ Feldman said. ‘Her best performances are in the biggest games on the biggest stages.’
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