Despite a small comeback in the final 10 minutes of the game, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team lost its season opener 13-11 on Wednesday afternoon at the University of Massachusetts.
Down 13-8 after a goal from UMass (2-0) sophomore attack Katie Ferris with 14:15 left in the half, the Terriers (0-1) scored three times over the course of the next eight minutes to bring the difference in the game down to two. Over the final six minutes of the game, however, the score did not change, and BU finished its first game of the season with a loss.
The opening 25 minutes of the game were back-and-forth, with the Terriers jumping out to a 5-3 lead. After UMass attack Jesse O’Donnell scored her team’s fourth goal with 12:44 left in the half, the Minutewomen started a six-goal run stretching into the second half, which gave them a four-point lead over the Terriers.
A goal from BU freshman attack Mallory Collins 1:26 into the second put an end to UMass’ unanswered run.
“I think [the six-goal run] took us – I don’t want to say by surprise – but I think it definitely took a little bit of our momentum away,” said BU coach Liz Robertshaw. “The fact that they seemed to come up with the rest of the draw controls after those goals when we needed them, they had some possessions, some long sets down there, scored a couple good goals. I think whenever you do those things and we didn’t answer, I think it makes everyone get a little frustrated.”
Junior attack Danielle Etrasco led the Terriers with five goals and two assists, followed by senior attack Hannah Frey who scored two goals of her own. Collins came off the bench to score the first two goals of her collegiate career, while senior midfielder Annie Stookesberry and junior midfielder Kristen Mogavero netted one goal apiece.
The Terriers took 22 shots, 17 on goal. Frey and Etrasco took seven shots total and six on goal each. Etrasco led BU with four draw controls, with Stookesberry following at three.
Sophomore goalkeeper Christina Sheridan stopped nine shots in her season-opening start.
Speaking to the quality and quantity of the shots Massachusetts took, Robertshaw was happy with the goalkeeper’s performance.
“I think she had a good solid first game,” Robertshaw said. “I think, again, we gave up too many shots.”
On the other side of the field, UMass had two scoring leaders with four goals and one assist each – Ferris and midfielder Tanner Guarino. The pair was followed by O’Donnell at two goals and two assists and junior attack Lauren Terracciano, junior attack Cori Murray and sophomore midfielder Kelsey McGovern all at the one goal mark.
Ferris took eight of the Minutewomen’s 32 shots, with O’Donnell registering seven and Guarino shooting six times. Senior attack Nina Sarcona won nine of UMass’ 14 draw controls, while four players picked up two ground balls each for the Minutewomen.
Speaking to the number of shots the Minutewomen took, Robertshaw said the Terrier defense was best when sticking to what it had prepared for.
“We were a little inconsistent there sometimes,” Robertshaw said. “At some points in the game, I thought we did great I think when we followed our game plan that we talked about and worked on, we made them make stops.”
In net, senior goalkeeper Katie Florence played the entire game for UMass, stopping six shots.
BU had 11 fouls in the game, three more than Massachusetts.
Robertshaw said her team needs to improve its understanding of what officials will call.
“I would like to see this team get better,” she said. “I would like to see us compose ourselves and stick to our game plan, and really try to limit the fouling that we did today.”
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