Women’s soccer experiencing share of high’s and low’s

Only eight games into the 2011 Boston University women’s soccer season and the Terriers are flexing their muscles just as well as, if not better than, they have in years past. The Terriers are 5-2-1 and almost through their out-of-conference schedule, which is significantly better than their 3-5 start last season. 

Winning Streak

BU started off the year with an impressive six game undefeated streak against out-of-conference opponents, starting with a 1-1 tie at Boston College. The win was a bit of a revenge victory for the Terriers after the Eagles booted BU out of the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament with a 2-1 victory in Chestnut Hill last season.

Over the next five games, the Terriers defeated unranked and ranked opponents alike, culminating with a pair of wins against the University of Washington and the University of Portland at the Husky/Nike Invitational in Seattle.

The six-game unbeaten start tied the 1996 season as the best in program history, and included head coach Nancy Feldman’s 300th career victory. This year’s run is a contrast to the beginning of the 2010 season, when the Terriers lost twice before eventually embarking on a 13-game winning streak.

. . . And Losing Streak

This past weekend, however, the Terriers suffered their first losses of the season. On Friday, BU traveled to Storrs, Conn. to play the University of Connecticut in what would eventually be a 3-0 loss, and on Sunday the Terriers zipped down the Mass. Turnpike to Amherst to play what would ultimately be a 1-0 loss against the University of Massachusetts.

“UMass I knew was going to be a real tough game, not so much because they are supremely talented – because I feel we’re more talented – but I knew that they were going to try to slow us down,” Feldman said.

Feldman admitted there may have been a bit of a target on the Terriers’ back this weekend, especially against Massachusetts.

“You get ranked, now you’re going to make everybody’s season when they beat you, particularly UMass,” she said. “I don’t think they’ll be there at the end, as far as an NCAA team. I mean, who knows. I don’t think so.”

The pair of losses is BU’s first losing streak in a little over a year. On Labor Day weekend 2010, the Terriers were defeated by BC 1-0 at Nickerson Field on Friday the 4th and then suffered a 2-1 loss in New Jersey to Monmouth University on Sunday the 6th.

The defeat against Monmouth also marks the last time BU was beaten by an unranked opponent. Likewise, the loss to BC was the last time the Terriers were defeated on their own turf at Nickerson Field.

Now Entering: America East Conference Schedule

The Terriers have three games left against out-of-conference opponents before they will attempt to defend their conference title. Last year, BU trounced through the conference schedule, going 8-0 in the middle of its 13-game winning streak.

This year, the Terriers will hope to transfer some of their early season momentum to the latter part of the schedule. BU will kick-off conference play against the University at Albany on Sept. 25 and will play its first conference game at home on Sept. 29 against the University of Vermont.

Feldman believes the hard and early out-of-conference schedule will be beneficial for the Terriers. The first half of the season gives BU the “level of experience needed to be successful in America East,” she said last week.

“Look Mom, we’re ranked!”

BU received national attention across the board the past few weeks. Our Game Magazine originally ranked BU at 23rd on Aug. 23. As the wins have stacked up since then, so have the appearances on lists of the best teams in the country.

Last week, the Terriers appeared on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America rankings, the most popular rankings, at 23rd. Additionally, the Terriers were ranked by “Soccer America” at 20th and “Soccer Times” at 25th.

With the losses against UConn and UMass, it’s unclear if the Terriers will remain so highly ranked.