As the No. 14 Boston University field hockey team continues its undefeated streak, two players have continued to show just how vital they are to the Terriers. Having given up just five goals in four games, sophomore Valentina Cerda Eimbcke and senior Jess Maroney have not just kept their team in the game, but have given it a few wins as well.
This weekend was no exception.
“Right now we are blessed with two very, very good goalies,” said BU coach Sally Starr. “Their styles are very different, so it’s almost like changing a pitcher at a baseball game. The opposing team is getting a very different look in the second half than they had in the first half.”
Platooning between the posts in both games, Cerda Eimbcke and Maroney combined to give up just one goal during BU’s contests against Providence College and Kent State University.
During Friday’s 1-0 overtime victory over Providence, Cerda Eimbcke spent the first half of the game in the net. With the help of her defense, Cerda Eimbcke did not need to make a single save.
Maroney followed that up with 38:16 in goal where she had three saves during regulation. Two of Maroney’s saves came in the final 10 minutes of play, sending the game into overtime.
From there, Maroney’s job was essentially complete as the Friars did not have another attempt on goal during the 3:16 of additional play. It was the Terriers’ first shut out of the season and their third overtime win in as many games.
The next day, in their home opener, the Terriers once again came out with Cerda Eimbcke starting the first half of the game. The Santiago, Chile native made four saves, keeping the Golden Flashes at bay and making it over 140 minutes since BU had last given up a goal.
Maroney came into to relieve Cerda Eimbcke for the second half, and put an end to the Terriers’ streak by giving up a goal in the 40th minute of play. Maroney stopped five shots during her 35 minutes in net.
While Maroney did give up a goal, the Terriers had given her plenty of wiggle room as they held a 3-0 lead before the penalty corner by Kent State’s Rebecca Lee made its way into the back of the net. BU went on to take the game 4-1.
Since Cerda Eimbcke gave up three goals in the Terriers’ first game of the season, BU has held its opponents relatively silent. Cerda Eimbcke and Maroney combined have given up one goal or fewer in three of the team’s four games played.
Due to these numbers, Cerda Eimbcke and Maroney have found themselves among the top goaltenders in the America East in goals-against average with Cerda Eimbcke posting a 1.45 average in 145:16 minutes of play and Maroney having a 0.95 average in 146:51 minutes of play.
In fact, Cerda Eimbcke has not given up a goal since the three-goal game against Delaware to start off the season.
“[Cerda Eimbcke] is a little bit more technical and very solid [in goal],” Starr said. “She just has incredibly good reflexes, but she’s very calm and disciplined.”
Maroney was already lauded for her ability in net this season when she was named the America East Defensive Player of the Week. Maroney took home that title after she made her first and only start so far this season against Rutgers University on Aug. 26. Maroney made two saves during the game, and, after giving up a goal early in the game, held Rutgers scoreless for the final 71:24 of the contest.
“Jess is getting to be more calm and more disciplined, but she is an amazing athlete,” Starr said. “She might come out a little more aggressively or play something a little different, just because she athletically has cat-like reflexes and speed.”
While both Cerda Eimbcke and Maroney have performed well for the Terriers, it is not yet clear which one, if either, will become the team’s starter.
“Right now we have two goalies performing well at practice and performing well at games,” Starr said. “As long as they continue to do that they will split. If one begins doing a lot better than the other, or one begins to struggle a bit, then we won’t split them.”
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