Field hockey plays host to No. 18 Albany

In a possible preview of the America East championship, the Boston University field hockey team hosts the No. 18 University at Albany in a battle for conference supremacy at Jack Barry Field Saturday at 5 p.m.

The Terriers (7-9, 3-0 America East) saw their season-high three-game win streak snapped at No. 7 University of Connecticut on Wednesday, despite being the first team to outshoot the Huskies this year. BU’s performance continues the team’s trend of pushing ranked teams to the brink yet falling short of a win.

‘We feel we did a lot of things really, really well,’ BU coach Sally Starr said. ‘I think the biggest thing is to do a better job taking advantage of our scoring opportunities . . . There are some things on corner defense we need to clean up, but we were really pleased with the overall quality of hockey that we played. They’re a very good team.

‘Yesterday was a loss on the scoreboard and it’s a game we definitely feel we had the capability of winning, but there’s definitely a lot of positive things that came out of [Wednesday’s] game that we’re going to carry forward to the rest of the season.’

But don’t expect the Great Danes (11-3, 3-0 AE) to be impressed by their foe’s efforts. Albany has romped through its own schedule, losing only to the No. 16 University of Massachusetts, No. 9 James Madison University and most recently No. 5 Syracuse University. The team owns three three-game win streaks — including one going into this contest — and has outscored America East opponents 10-1.

‘Albany is an outstanding hockey team, very similar to UConn,’ Starr said. ‘I think the UConn game was good preparation for what we’re going to be up against on Saturday. Technically and tactically, I think they’re very similar. They’re really well coached, so it’s going to be a really great hockey game.’

Albany’s success can be attributed to balance on offense and in the cage. Senior attackers Nicole Savage and Jess Lindsey pace the team with 17 points apiece, while the goalkeeping duo of junior Christine Hoffman and freshman Kristi Troch lead the conference in goals-against average (0.50) — nearly four times more than BU (1.87). But the Terriers are confident that experience against other strong teams has taught them well.

‘They’re going to move the ball well. They’re going to have good structure, good discipline,’ Starr said. ‘They’re definitely going to present things during the game that we’re going to have to respond to and I think one thing I’m pleased with our team’s growth is the adjustments we can make mid-game and continue our effectiveness.’

These teams have met often in the postseason. Last season, Albany sent BU home in the conference semifinal and the year before BU beat Albany to clinch its third straight title. This season, it appears the Terriers and Danes are on a collision course for another dogfight.

‘I’m looking forward to a competitive, hard-fought hockey game,’ Starr said. ‘We’re both two teams playing for first place in the conference. It’s a big game for both of us.’
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