They are six games into the season, but the No. 12 Boston University field hockey team is still experiencing firsts. This weekend in particular, they will have their first opportunity to do something any successful team must accomplish: rebound from a loss.
The Terriers (5-1) will face No. 5 Michigan State University on Saturday and Kent State University on Sunday in their first games since a 1-0 loss to Northeastern University snapped what was the best start in team history at 5-0.
Similar to their previous weekend when they played against Northeastern and then-No. 7 Boston College, this weekend will provide the Terriers with another opportunity to play a top-10-ranked team followed by a less-touted opponent.
"I think it's a really good opportunity for us to play some quality out-of-region opponents," said BU coach Sally Starr.
"It gives us the opportunity to compete against Michigan State, one of the top teams in the Big 10, and Kent State, who is picked to finish first in their conference. They finished first in their conference the last couple years.
"They're two really quality opponents for where we are in the season."
In their efforts against the Eagles and the Huskies, the Terriers demonstrated two different styles of play.
Their focus in the first game earned them a 2-0 shutout and the best start in team history while a lapse in effort in their loss to Northeastern led Starr to label the team as "a little complacent." The team will look to avoid a similar letdown this weekend if they defeat their more formidable adversary in the Spartans (7-0).
"All good learning can come from defeat," Starr said. "For us, I think having lost to Northeastern will really help prepare us not to have that happen again. I would really be surprised if our team had a similar type of approach to a game [as the one against Northeastern]. If we're fortunate enough to beat Michigan State, I feel confident because of the experience that we had this last Sunday against Northeastern that we'll be more prepared to compete successfully against Kent State."
By making quick work of BC last weekend, the Terriers exhibited their knack for big-game circumstances.
However, the Spartans represent some new threats in their ability to score goals and to win in many different ways.
Michigan State has won games by as few as one goal and by as many as 10, and its 3.43 goals-per-game average is 12th in the country.
What may be even more daunting is the fact that the Spartans' 24 goals on the season were scored by 10 different players, signifying their ability to score regardless of who is controlling the ball.
By contrast, the Terriers own a 2.00 goals-per-game average and only five players who have scored goals so far this season.
"They're pretty much the premier program right now in the Big 10," Starr said of Michigan State. "They have been the past couple years. They're very well-coached, very well-organized. They always have some outstanding international athletes and also some quality U.S. athletes on their team.
"But, you can't really look too much at their results being big blowout wins or close matches. I think you just have to really go in and be ready to play our game, to play a very attacking style of hockey.
"I think it's going to be a very, very good hockey game."
In practice this week, Starr said that she is emphasizing the need for her team to have quality offensive possessions.
"Most dramatically, we need to work on maximizing our goal scoring opportunities, doing better in our attacking third of the field, manufacturing corners and getting higher quality shots on goal," she said. "Position-wise, we need to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of some quality balls that are coming into the circle. We are doing a good job getting some really good cross balls going in, but we're not doing a good job of getting a stick on them."
While the Terriers' attack may appear underwhelming, that feeling may be due to the shadow of their most recent game&- a shutout&- and the fact that they are only six games into the season.
After all, some of BU's most talented strikers, including senior Allie Dolce and sophomore Nicole van Oosterom could have a breakout game at any point, as they have proven in the past. If they can turn it on offensively, then along with the already hot stick of junior forward Andrea Greene - six goals and two assists - the Terrier's offense becomes much more potent.
Against the Golden Flashes of Kent State (3-3), the Terriers will look to keep jumpstarting their own offense against a defensively-minded team.
The Golden Flashes have only scored 10 goals on the year but have only allowed 14. Their defense is their strong point, and the Terriers will have to penetrate it if they are going to be successful.
"I think the biggest thing for us is to do a good job possessing the ball and making good decisions," Starr said. "We need to have a high, what we like to call, PPR, which is positive play ratio. That is, when we have the ball, we need to do a really good job of maintaining possession, and just make good decisions with the ball and not try to force things too much. That's definitely a point of emphasis in practice this week.
"We had way too many unforced turnovers in our game on Sunday. But, we're really working on better decision making on the ball and better positioning off the ball so that the player with the ball has some quality choices to make."</p>
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