The Boston University women’s soccer team has caught fire of late, winning its last five games by a combined margin of 11-3. The Terriers are now sitting comfortably atop the America East standings with a record of 7-4-2. BU is the only team in the conference with a winning record and has yet to lose a game in conference, boasting a record of 3-0-0.
BU started the season with 10 out-of-conference games, posting a record of 4-4-2. Although the Terriers did not win a road game in that stretch and had a six-game winless streak, they managed to come out of it with a .500 record. Ranked teams like West Virginia University (then ranked No. 16) and No. 6 Boston College gave the Terriers a good preview of what NCAA Tournament play would be like and helped prepare them for their conference schedule.
Since the winless streak, the Terriers have rattled off five straight wins, three of which have come against conference foes. The Terriers have won 12 straight conference games dating back to 2007. They hope to continue that winning streak, as five of the team’s last six games are against conference opponents.
BU coach Nancy Feldman spoke of the importance of winning conference games, as well as taking games on the road.
‘Non-conference and conference games are very different,’ Feldman said. ‘We consider the conference schedule like a new season. It’s also very important to take points on the road. We didn’t do that early on but we’re starting to play better on the road now.’
Offensive Firepower
The Terriers struggled to score in their first dozen games but have picked up their game since the beginning of conference play. Three Terriers are currently tied for the team lead in goals. Those three are sophomore midfielder Jessica Luscinski, senior midfielder Emily Pallotta and senior forward Farrell McClernon, who each have three tallies. Luscinski also leads the team in assists with four – she’s earned most of her helpers this year off of corner kicks.
BU has been dominant in the shot category this year, outshooting its opponents, 188-135. It’s outscored the opposition, 16-11. The Terriers have taken advantage of their corner kicks lately, a category where the team is out-chancing the opposition 66-44.
Stingy Defense
In thirteen games this season, the Terriers have given up a miniscule 11 goals while recording five shutouts. Senior goalkeeper Janie Reilly has started for all five clean sheets and has helped lead the Terriers to the top of the conference. Reilly has been a wall for the Terriers all season long, but the goalkeeper has received a lot of help from her teammates.’
Senior Casey Brown and junior Corie Halasz have led the Terriers backfield all year long, logging key minutes and keeping other team’s key players in check. Senior Laura Schwartz has also been a stopper on defense as well as junior Shauna Kelleher. Feldman spoke highly of Kelleher and her blue-collar, hard-working play.
‘[Shauna] plays her role well for this team,’ Feldman said. ‘She does a lot of the dirty business that might not end up on the scoresheet and that’s important to win games. Another player like that is [senior] Taleen Dimirdjian, who has worked hard all year. She was set back by an injury, but it all started to come together for her this summer and she’s been key for us.’
The Terriers next game is on Thursday, Oct. 8, when the team returns home to face the University of Vermont. The team looks to continue their winning ways at Nickerson Field, hoping to improve its home record to 6-0.
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