Opening conference play against the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team’s strong defense was on display Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field despite its 7-6 loss.
In the opening period, the Terriers (2-5, 0-1 America East) held UMBC (7-2, 1-0 America East) to one goal, taking a 3-1 lead into the locker room. Throughout the period, junior goalkeeper Christina Sheridan was solid in the cage, recording five key saves.
“I think this was a great defensive game,” said BU coach Liz Robertshaw. “If you hold a team to under ten goals, that’s what the game plan is.”
Despite giving up the first goal of the contest, the Terriers were able to come up with a big stop just over ten minutes into the game to keep the Retriever lead at one goal. UMBC’s Abby Wilson was fouled by senior defender Monica Baumgartner and awarded a free-position shot just outside of the cage area. After the referee whistled to begin play, Wilson took a few steps towards the cage and fired a shot high that Sheridan was able to coral into her stick for the save.
In that opening half, the Terriers’ defense was able to hold UMBC to only seven shots and also forced seven turnovers.
Just over 12 minutes into the game, junior midfielder Becca Church deflected a pass intended for a UMBC player, which she then scooped up and cleared out of the BU defensive half of the field. Seconds later, freshman midfielder Ally Adams was able to find junior attack Elizabeth Morse streaking to the cage for a score, knotting the game at one goal apiece.
After returning to the field for the second half, the Terriers’ defense continued to play well. However, one of the glaring differences in the frame was the shot differential. After only giving up seven shots in the first half, the Retrievers came out in the second period in attack mode, outshooting the Terriers 20-7. But Sheridan increased her production in the second half, collecting eight saves for a game total of 13.
Halfway into the second half, with the Terriers leading the Retrievers 5-3, junior defender Christie Hart was able to force yet another turnover for BU that she was able to clear and push forward to senior attack Danielle Etrasco, who was able to find sophomore attack Jenna Boreman on the left side of the cage for the score.
The Terriers’ defense led to offensive production, as half of the Terriers’ six goals came off of UMBC turnovers.
With the Retrievers clawing their way back into the game late in the second half, Sheridan and the Terriers’ defense came up big with just over two minutes to play when UMBC’s Kristen Bilney was awarded a free-position shot with the Retrievers trailing BU 6-5. Bilney took the shot but was denied by Sheridan to momentarily preserve the lead.
With 24 seconds left, UMBC scored to tie the game at six and send the game into overtime.
After a scoreless first overtime period, the game shifted into a sudden death format where defense proved to be the key factor in deciding the game. With three seconds left in the second period, Hart was whistled for a foul, which awarded UMBC’s Shannon Harkey with a free-position shot, and a chance to win the game for the Retrievers. Prior to this shot, BU was perfect defending free-position shots, holding UMBC to 0-7.
But the Terriers defense came up short in overtime as Harkey scored to give UMBC the 7-6 comeback victory.
“I’m really pleased with the way the defense came out and played,” Robertshaw said. “But I’m not pleased with the team mentality in terms of finishing the game.”
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