The Boston University field hockey team opened conference play on Saturday with a 2-0 win over the unranked University of Vermont. However, they fell to No. 13 Duke University on Sunday, 5-1, leaving their overall record at a frustrating 4-8 (1-0-0 AE) with seven games left to play.
Despite managing a staggering 16 shots and clearly dominating play in the first half of Saturday’s game, the Terriers entered the second half locked in a scoreless tie due to a superb performance by senior UVM goaltender Kristen Heavens. Heavens was forced to make a number of spectacular saves to keep her team in the game, as it failed to generate any offense throughout the half.
The Catamounts withstood the BU onslaught admirably, until with 6:47 remaining in regulation, senior forward Nikki Lloyd carried the ball downfield, dodging defenders, and set up sophomore Giovanna Monaco for a drive about five yards away from the net. Monaco scored to break the tie and register her third goal of the year.
Shortly afterward, freshman back Nicole van Oosterom finally capitalized on one of BU’s 16 corner opportunities, scoring from the top of the circle and securing the victory. Terrier goaltender Amanda Smith was not forced to make a single save, as UVM (1-11, 0-1 AE) only took two shots, both on corners.
Sunday’s game against Duke (5-4) was a completely different story. As usual, the Terriers held an advantage in shots, 12-10, but were shut down with a strong performance by Duke goaltender Samantha Nelson. Junior midfielder Maryette Stuart scored the Terriers’ only goal on a penalty stroke midway through the second half when BU was down 2-0, but the Blue Devils were better able to take advantage of the chances they got, scoring on one of their three corner attempts. Senior Duke forward Amie Survilla secured the victory with a hat trick, totaling 18 goals on the season.
‘Today was really frustrating,’ BU coach Sally Starr said after the game. ‘We played Duke evenly, out-shot them and the corners were even, so on the field we felt like we really competed with them, and to have that score end up 5-1 is very frustrating for everyone. We gave up bad goals transitionally and got caught not doing what we needed to do defensively.’
However, the Terriers’ performance against UVM could be an indication of potential good things to come in conference play, which is more important at this point in the season.
‘It’s all about conference right now,’ Starr said. ‘I think that the win over Vermont was a good one for us to pull out against a really good goalie. Our conference is going to be difficult. Maine is having a great year, UNH is having a great year, Albany is having a great year but we’ve had a very, very difficult schedule to date, so we feel like we are prepared to play in a tough conference.’
The Terriers’ next game is in conference against unranked Fairfield University (4-7, 0-1 AE), on Saturday, Oct. 10. A win will keep them near the top of the America East standings. Every conference game is crucial as the playoffs draw near. BU has had some unlucky breaks and lost some games it could have won, but the team is learning.
As Starr said after the Duke game on Sunday, ‘Everything we need to achieve this season is still within our grasp.’
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