Erica Kosienski has stood out among her peers.
The freshman forward sealed the match for the Boston University women’s soccer team against Loyola University-Maryland Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field. In the 82nd minute, Kosienski took a pass from senior midfielder Megan McGoldrick and placed a clean shot into the goal between three Greyhound defenders in the middle of the field to give BU a 1-0 lead. It marked her fourth game-winning goal of the year and her fifth goal of the season.
“It was a battle the whole time, fighting for the point,” Kosienski said. “Everybody doesn’t want to wait until the last minute to score, but that situation just makes it that much more exciting. The fact that we pulled it off as a team is great. The shot itself was amazing, because we needed it so badly. Seeing it go in was probably the greatest feeling in the world.”
Coming through in the clutch is nothing new for Kosienski. After all, the first goal of her colligate career came back in September during the Terriers’ 3-2 win over Akron University, and it was, coincidentally, the deciding goal of the match. Since then, the rookie is tied for the team-lead in goals.
Although she stands at only 5-foot-4, Kosienski rises above her peers on the stat sheet and with her performances on the field. Despite coming off of the bench this season, Kosienski still manages to lead her team — one that includes a preseason Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year in senior forward Madison Clemens and an America East Midfielder of the Year and All-Conference First Team selection in senior midfielder Emma Clark — in all major offensive categories, including goals, points, shots on goal and shooting percentage.
Kosienski is also the only true freshman that BU coach Nancy Feldman has played in every game this season, something Feldman said is due to her athletic abilities and soccer instincts.
“She just has such a natural instinct for the game, she’s very aggressive in terms of running with the ball,” Feldman said. “She has proved that she’s a force to be reckoned with, and she brings such a good focus and will to win.
“It makes a difference for our team because she just sparks the entire team. What she brings is something that is a little bit different than the other players we have.”
Feldman is not the only one who has praised Kosienski’s success. The Patriot League has named the Terrier the BRINE Rookie of the Week three times this season.
Although Kosienski has had the hype of winning awards early in her collegiate career, she said that making and winning the tournament are the main goals for her and the rest of the Terriers.
“The mentality for the season that [the team is] all following is all about getting into the tournament — my first tournament,” Kosienski said. “We want to come out strong and play our best.”
Feldman said she agrees with Kosienski.
“I think it just comes down to believing in our way, knowing our way and being able to have a strong enough will to bring it,” Feldman said. “There are times when I feel like momentum has shifted, but it’s a soccer field and it’s a soccer ball and it’s our same team. It’s a bit of a challenge, but it shouldn’t make that much of a difference.”
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