The Boston University women’s soccer team has proven they are the best in America East. The Terriers have compiled an impressive record of 12-5-2, 7-1-0 in the conference. However, their impressive record and regular-season championship does not mean anything to the NCAA selection committee.
All that matters now is for BU to grab the automatic bid by winning the America East Tournament. Step one: defeat Stony Brook University Sunday at Nickerson Field.
The only flaw in the Terriers’ play this season was a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Stony Brook (8-9-2, 6-2-1 AE) in mid-October. It only seems fitting that BU has an opportunity to avenge their sole conference loss on their path to take the America East crown for the third straight season.
Last year, the Terriers defeated Stony Brook in the conference championship game, 2-1, so there is certainly no lack of rivalry between these two America East foes.
For much of the regular-season Stony Brook was nipping at the Terriers’ heels, and took the top spot in the standings after they defeated BU at home. Since that win, the Seawolves have gone 1-2-0 losing the final two regular season games against Albany and Maine and dropped to fourth overall seed.
Thursday night in the America East quarterfinals, Stony Brook regained their momentum and won a hard fought contest against the University at Albany by the score of 2-0 to advance in the tournament.
Nickerson Field has been a great advantage for the Terriers the past two seasons. BU is currently on an 18-game home winning streak going all the way back till the first game of last season. The Terriers have only let up one goal all season at home and have outshot their opponents by a staggering 194-38, a tribute to their shutdown defense and dynamic offense.
BU needs to continue to get exceptional play from senior co-captains Emily Pallotta and Casey Brown. Pallotta leads the Terriers with seven goals, is second in the conference in goals and recently was named the America East Midfielder of the Year.
Though Brown doesn’t have the flashy statistics that many of her teammates have, she does the dirty work which is often unappreciated. For her impressive defensive play this season, Brown was named the America East Defender of the Year for a record-setting third season.
Senior goalie Janie Reilly also was honored as the conference Goalkeeper of the Year. Reilly led the conference in shutouts (8), save percentage (.855), and goals-against average (0.52).
There were six Terriers honored as members of the America East conference first team: Reilly, Brown, Pallotta, junior Shauna Kelleher, senior Farrell McClernon and sophomore Jessica Luscinski. BU coach Nancy Feldman also was awarded the conference Coach of the Year award for the seventh time in her career.
Even with all these awards, BU coach Nancy Feldman knows that Sunday afternoon’s game against Stony Brook will not be a walk in the park.
‘We are going to have to bring our A-game to win this thing,’ Feldman said.
Feldman also does not believe her team has reached their full potential yet this season.
‘We want to keep the ball, we want to value possession, we want to stretch the field and be dynamic in our attack,’ Feldman said. ‘Defensively, we expect a lot from every line in our team, not just the goalkeeper, not just the back four. Every line has a responsibility defensively and I want it to be as good as it should be. There is nothing special. Just do the things we do [but] better.’
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