The Boston University field hockey team will wrap up a three-game homestand Friday at New Balance Field as they take on the College of the Holy Cross.
After a shootout loss to No. 4 University of Connecticut Sunday, the Terriers (7-6, 2-1 Patriot League) are looking to get back on track against the Crusaders (3-12, 0-4 Patriot League).
On Saturday, the Terriers picked up an important conference win against Lehigh University. The game remained scoreless until the 51st minute, when freshman midfielder/forward Kali Shumock scored the game’s only goal off a rebound from a corner. BU held Lehigh (4-10, 1-3 Patriot League) to just one shot for the whole game while also not giving up any penalty corners.
On Sunday, the Terriers faced UConn (9-2) in a match that went into double overtime and was settled in a shootout. The Terriers were outshot in the first half, 6-2, and gave up one penalty corner.
Senior goalkeeper Valentina Cerda Eimbcke held the Huskies off of the scoreboard in the first half. UConn eventually scored in the 47th minute, but sophomore forward Amanda Cassera equalized the game in the 64th minute off of a breakaway. Ultimately, UConn won the shootout, but BU coach Sally Starr said she was satisfied with her team’s performance.
“UConn was huge for us,” she said. “Valentina and the entire defense played outstanding. I kept telling them, ‘We can get a counter attack goal,’ and with patience, we did. In overtime, we played with one player down, and we still didn’t let them shoot for 20 minutes. I think this past weekend, we played great defense.”
The Terriers now focus their attention to another Patriot League member in the Crusaders. Holy Cross will be wrapping up the second game of a two-game road trip, with their latest match resulting in a 5-4-overtime loss to Dartmouth College. Holy Cross has lost five straight games and has been outscored by 17-6 during this stretch.
“Holy Cross is a well-coached team,” Starr said. “No one should look at their record and judge them off that. They are a talented team offensively and defensively.”
Starr stressed that every conference game is crucial for her team as they attempt to earn a berth in the Patriot League tournament.
“Every game is important,” Starr said. “Only four schools make the conference tournament. I don’t care who we face…every team is equal in this league, and we are looking to pick up a good win.”
Friday’s match will be the first game the Terriers will play after a five-day break. Even though they have not played since Sunday, Starr said she feels that her team is ready.
“We were able to have a good two days off,” she said. “It was good after that 100-minute game against UConn. It’s a tough academic time for some of the players with midterms and papers, so they got to focus on that, which is good. We were able to have a good two days of practice, and I’m looking forward to the game on Friday.”
Alexander mainly covers field hockey for the Daily Free Press. On his days off, he catches up on playing basketball and soccer and cheers on the New York Giants, Knicks, and Yankees. He previously interned at the office of U.S. Senator Edward Markey.
