Second verse worse than first

"It's now how you start, but how you finish," is a common coaches' quip. Boston University women's soccer coach Nancy Feldman would do well to tell her team the same quote.

So far in 2010, the Terriers have taken care of business before the halftime break. Outscoring their opponents 7-3 in first-half action, the Terriers (3-5-0) have built early leads in all three of their victories.

Problems have come up in the second half, however, as the goal differential shifts to 7-4 in favor of the opponents. Late goals allowed to the University of South Carolina and Monmouth University undid positive starts by the Terrier players. Most recently, a 3-0 loss to No. 9 University of Virginia saw BU allow three goals early in the second half.

While the goal differential is likely skewed by the Virginia game, Boston University goalkeepers have also generally had a lot more work to do closing games. BU has allowed 59 shots in the second half compared to just 37 in the first. A stronger finish will be key if the Terriers are to reach .500 before conference play starts.

<strong>AE catch-up</strong>

BU's 3-5-0 record may not look as beautiful as a bending free kick heading toward the back of the net, but it's best to remember that before America East play really kicks off, records are all relative.

Take for instance conference leaders University at Albany and University of Maine, both of which stand at 3-3-0 heading into Wednesday. Albany's best out-of-conference win was against Syracuse University, who they fell to a 1-0 score in their last contest. At the same time, Maine's three victories have come against teams that are a combined 5-13-2.

Stony Brook University has been the only other team to face off against nationally ranked teams, and its record has been abysmal, going 0-6-1 including a pair of losses to national powerhouses No. 8 University of Maryland and No. 24 Rutgers University.

AE teams have struggled as a whole when facing non-conference opposition. A 19-37-4 record overall hardly puts any fear into opposing teams. Goals have been under siege as a 65-102 goal differential has put AE teams behind the 8-ball the majority of the time.

If things go according to plan, there should be no reason BU fails to make it a four-peat this season. The match against the University of New Hampshire on Sept. 26 will certainly be a clear barometer of how in-conference play shakes out.

<strong>Two-Headed Goalkeeping Monster</strong>

So far in the season, BU remains the only team in the conference to give significant amounts of time between the posts to two different players. Every other team in AE has a clear-cut number one goalkeeper receiving most of the playing time with a back-up relieving the starter for a game or two.

The first six games of the season saw an identical trend. Freshman Kelly King would start the first half while junior Alice Binns got her minutes in the second. That trend was bucked on Friday the 10th against College of William &amp;' Mary, when King played the entire match. Feldman later noted that the freshman played so well, she just couldn't take her out.

The next game against Virginia provided an interesting scenario. Binns started the game and kept a scoreless half, while King allowed a season-high three goals in the second.

Although it is hard to discern anything from a single game, personal preference may be key in this case. Coming in relief during the middle of the game is one of the hardest things to do for a goalkeeper. While opponents have a full half's experience behind them, a goalkeeper must warm up to the game quickly. Binns' experience playing at a collegiate level likely has helped her get into the game faster than first-year King.

The goalkeepers have done a remarkable job in 2010, leading the conference with a 1.25 goals-against-average. Nevertheless, until a clear favorite for the starting job appears, look for the same pattern Thursday at Harvard University: King starting off, with Binns coming in relief.</p>