In a game of many lasts, the Boston University lacrosse team will host Canisius College on Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field.
The game is both the last non-conference game and the last home game of the Terriers’ regular season. BU will also celebrate six athletes during the match.
“It’s a class I look at and [it] embodies what growing up and becoming a BU lacrosse player is all about,” said BU coach Liz Robertshaw of the group of five seniors and one redshirt junior nearing the completion of their Terrier careers. “As they’ve gone through the years, they’ve been tested. I see stronger character [in these] individuals.”
It will also mark the Terriers’ final chance to put themselves at .500 against non-conference opponents. BU is currently 4-5 on the season against such teams following an 18-9 home loss to Boston College last week that slid the team back under the halfway mark.
Against teams from the America East Conference, however, the Terriers are a perfect 5-0. Last Saturday, BU locked up a share of the America East regular-season title and rights to host the conference tournament with a 15-14 home win over Stony Brook University. As a number of games have gone this season, it featured a second half comeback after the Terriers began the game in a 4-0 deficit less than four minutes in.
“The fact that we’re playing at home makes it a big deal for us because we want to have a good feeling going into the America East and hosting the tournament,” Robertshaw said. “Since we’re hosting it, we want to make sure we finish out our year playing well.”
Junior goalkeeper Kim Ellsworth replaced sophomore goalkeeper Christina Sheridan following the Seawolves’ strong opening statement and managed to fend off Stony Brook en route to the win. Ellsworth made seven saves in the first half and added two more in the second, allowing 10 goals in the process.
Robertshaw said she did not know which keeper she would go with on Saturday, but that both were ready.
“Kim had a great game,” Robertshaw said. “I also know Christina’s had a bunch of good games. I think they’re both continuing to have excellent practices and really make it a fight.”
The Golden Griffins enter with a 4-5 record against non-conference teams this season. Overall, they’ve outscored their opponents in goals scored by averaging 13 goals per game to opponents 11.69. Opponents, however, have been slightly more efficient with their possessions, with 47.5 percent of their shots converted into goals, compared to 46.9 percent for Canisius.
Another area where teams playing Canisius have excelled is free position shots, making 41-of-90 compared to the Golden Griffins’ 33-of-84.
However, Canisius has shown ability to force teams to turn the ball over. The ball has gone from opponents’ sticks to those of the Golden Griffins 222 times versus 187 the other way. Canisius has also caused 142 turnovers compared to 79 caused turnovers by its opponents.
“I know that their attackers have a ton of caused turnovers,” Robertshaw said. “That tells me they’re riding really hard and they’re trying to get the ball back.”
Leading the Golden Griffins in goals is senior Megan Oosting with 40, followed by junior Lindsey Morgan with 28 and senior Carly Quinn with 22. Quinn also leads the team in assists at 29 and points at 51. Junior Morgan Leonard has picked up 32 ground balls while Oosting has controlled 51 draws.
In goal, freshman goalkeeper Kayla Scully has played the most time, 456:29 across 10 games, including seven starts. She has allowed 80 goals and made 61 saves. Junior goalkeeper Gina Molfetta has played another 320:25 in goal for the Golden Griffins, allowing 72 goals and making 28 saves.
For Robertshaw, even though this game is a bit of a small milestone in the season, the ultimate goal remains the same.
“We want to win every game,” Robertshaw said. “Obviously we haven’t won every game, but that’s one of our goals, to make sure that we can fight and we do our best and we try to win every single one we play.”
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