Women’s soccer shuts out Colgate in crucial victory

The Boston University women’s soccer team scored early and did not take its foot off the gas, defeating Colgate University 3-0 Wednesday night in Hamilton, N.Y. With the win, the Terriers solidified their second-place position in the Patriot League standings going into the postseason.

A little more than a minute into the game, senior midfielder Kylie Strom got things going for the Terriers (11-3-3, 6-1-0 Patriot League). Sophomore forward Jenna Fisher won a corner kick off the Raiders (8-5-1, 4-2-1) defense that was taken by senior midfielder Emma Clark, who played a near-perfect ball into the penalty box  for Strom. Strom headed the ball past Raider goalkeeper Brenna Mason to put BU up 1-0. The goal was Strom’s first of the season.

Much of the game was played in the middle of the field, where midfielders Clark and senior Megan McGoldrick consistently fought off Raider defenders to keep the Terrier attack going. In the ninth minute of play, McGoldrick swung the ball out wide to sophomore forward Jenna Fisher, who then crossed the ball into the heavily crowded penalty box. Somehow, the ball made its way to senior forward Madison Clemens, who calmly collected the ball and placed it in the back of the net to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Terriers.

The first 45 minutes of action ended with the Terriers leading both on the scoreboard and on the stats sheet. BU took six shots to Colgate’s three, and also won six corner kicks compared with the Raiders’ zero.

Five minutes into the second half, Clemens collected the ball near midfield and played it over the top of the Raider defense to find Fisher, who hit a one-time shot that blew by Mason.  The 50th-minute goal helped match BU’s season-best total for goals in a game.

Feldman praised the play of Fisher, who ended the day with a goal and an assist, and who has been a key part of the Terrier offense throughout the season.

“Jenna Fisher really stood out at the beginning of the game,” Feldman said. “She really did help create the first goal by earning a corner kick. And then Jenna was involved in the second goal as well by getting the ball to Madison [Clemens]. She’s just been a spark.”

The game was a physical contest, as both the Terriers and the Raiders fought for possession. BU committed nine fouls throughout the game, while Colgate conceded 11. In the 25th minute, senior defender Amanda Rumsey was handed a yellow card for a particularly hard foul.

For the most part, however, the Terriers were able to stay cool under pressure.

“We held our composure when it got a little chippy, because it did,” Feldman said. “We handled the physicality of the match while continuing to keep our composure. We moved our feet and didn’t get into a pushing war in a situation where you’re trying to keep the ball but actually separating yourself with footwork and with skill.”

Senior goalkeeper Andrea Green made two saves during the match, recording her 10th shutout of the season.

Feldman said she considered the game especially important as the team prepares for postseason play.

“We’re playing the best soccer at the end of the season and going into the postseason,” Feldman said. “I’m really pleased with how the team has shifted their mindset from ‘Do we belong?’ and ‘Where do we fit?’ to ‘You know what, we should be one of the teams that can legitimately win the conference,’ and we’re going to do everything we can to put ourselves in the position to do that.”