The Boston University women’s soccer team suffered its first loss to a Patriot League opponent Saturday afternoon, falling to Loyola University-Maryland by a score of 1-0. After a quiet first half, a goal from Loyola forward Charlotte Miller in the 47th minute decided the outcome in Baltimore.
The two sides came into the game sitting on opposite sides of the Patriot League standings, with the Greyhounds (5-8-2, 1-3-2 Patriot League) sitting in ninth place.
The Terriers (9-4-3, 3-1-2 Patriot League) were on a better note, having just defeated Dartmouth College 1-0 in BU’s final non-conference game on Oct. 14 and sitting in third place in the Patriot League.
Yet Saturday’s contest proved to be a twist on this season’s storyline.
While BU held its usual advantage in possession in the first half, neither team managed to generate momentum on offense – both squads finished the first half without a single shot. There were only three corner kicks in the first half, two of which belonged to the Greyhounds.
“Loyola did a very good job of dictating the tempo in the first half,” said BU coach Nancy Feldman. “We pretty much expected what we saw. We seemed defected by it. We weren’t able to generate any shots on goal. We weren’t able to control much of the play.”
Both teams found a sense of urgency in the second half, though, as the Greyhounds quickly built up rhythm toward BU’s goal.
That rhythm led to a goal within the first two minutes of the period, when Miller confidently unleashed a 20-yard shot that soared over senior goalkeeper Alyssa Parisi’s head and into the back of the net. It was the junior’s first goal of the season for Loyola and her sixth in her college career.
The goal – let alone the win – was a change in fortune for Loyola, which hadn’t scored in its previous three games and had only a single goal in its last five contests.
The Greyhounds maintained their pressure on BU’s goal, as they found the back of the net again in the 62nd minute. A long shot trickled into the box and ricocheted into the bottom corner of Parisi’s goal, but a Loyola player was ruled offside in the penalty area.
The Terriers found its energy offensively after the goal, which Feldman attributed to the team’s desperation.
“You’re going to be in a tough position if you wait until you’re desperate,” Feldman said. “When you’re in desperate mode, there’s nothing to lose and the other team is trying to hold on. That was good to see that we spent much of the second half generating chances. But putting yourself in that position isn’t a great way of being successful on a consistent basis.”
BU took eight shots in the second half, two of which were on target. Loyola managed just two shots in the game, with the goal being its only attempt on frame. Parisi did not record a save in the match and was substituted for sophomore goalkeeper Bridget Conway in the 68th minute.
Feldman was impressed with the Greyhounds’ defensive cohesion, but was also disappointed in her team’s energy.
“They clogged up the middle of the field,” Feldman said. “They’re very disciplined in their organization. Their units were close together, their lines were close together, and they didn’t give you a lot of room to play in.
“The part that I think is the most disappointing in our play is that sometimes, it takes you a while to put your stamp on a match, but I think we were too passive in our approach, and you can’t be. If you’re trying to find a way to solve a team’s defending or a team’s style, you have to generate more energy. While we work hard, I don’t think we were quite on the edge enough from the start of the game.”
