Generating offense has not been an issue for the Boston University men’s lacrosse team throughout the 2015 campaign.
The Terriers (6-6, 3-4 Patriot League) average 24.18 shots on goal and 40.82 total shots per game, good for first and second in the Patriot League, respectively.
But, during the team’s current four-game losing streak, BU coach Ryan Polley’s squad has struggled to turn those shot opportunities into goals.
After notching an average of 13.12 goals per game through their first eight games, the Terriers have stalled offensively. In its current slump, the team has averaged only seven goals per contest.
On Saturday against No. 17 Loyola University Maryland at Nickerson Field, the BU defense did its part to help the Terriers climb back from an early four-goal deficit by only allowing one second-half goal and keeping the Patriot League’s seventh-leading point scorer, Loyola attack Nikko Pontrello, off the scoreboard.
However, despite outshooting the Greyhounds (7-6, 5-2 Patriot League) 30-12 over the game’s final two quarters, the Terrier offense only managed to score three goals and fell 8-6.
“I thought our d-middies did a nice job,” Polley said. “[Sophomore midfielder Greg] Wozniak, our long-stick middie, was excellent. [Sophomore defender Dominick] Calisto was unbelievable on Pontrello. The defense was awesome. The offense has to pick it up a little bit.”
In the fourth quarter alone, the Terriers outshot the Greyhounds 15-2, but the offense failed to capitalize on its opportunities to close the deficit.
“I thought we had some success kind of dodging and throwing the ball ahead,” Polley said. “We had some great opportunities, but we just missed shots.”
Aside from a first quarter in which the Terriers let the Greyhounds score five unanswered goals, BU controlled possession throughout Saturday’s contest. The Terriers won the ground ball battle 31 to 24, with sophomore specialist Sam Talkow especially dominant, winning 10 of his 15 draws.
Even with the advantage in possession, the Terrier attack could not consistently get the ball past Loyola goalkeeper Grant Limone. While Limone did make 17 saves on the day, a number of BU’s shot attempts failed to reach the target, instead flying high or wide of the net.
“If we have a six-yard shot, we can’t sail it over the cage,” Polley said. “At least make the goalie make the saves. [Limone] made some good saves. I don’t want to take anything away from Limone. I thought he did a nice job.”
The inefficiency of the Terrier offense also presented itself in the team’s previous game against Harvard University on April 7, which resulted in a 9-8 loss.
Despite holding heavy advantages in shots, ground balls and faceoffs, the Terriers found themselves embroiled in a back-and-forth battle with the Crimson (6-6). By the start of the fourth quarter, the Terriers had recorded 36 shots to Harvard’s 24, but the teams remained tied at eight goals apiece.
BU’s inability to cash in on this disparity proved critical, as Harvard attack Devin Dwyer was able to score the go-ahead goal with 2:05 remaining to secure a 9-8 win for the Crimson. Even after Dwyer’s strike, the Terriers had five shot attempts, but none of them made their way into net and BU was handed its third straight loss.
The Terriers have not notched 10 or more goals since the team’s last victory, an 11-9 triumph over Bucknell University at Nickerson Field on March 21. Polley’s team ranks seventh in the conference in shot percentage, as just 27.8 percent of BU’s shots have amounted to goals on the 2015 season.
BU’s string of losses has also put its postseason aspirations in jeopardy. The Terriers have just one regular season game remaining, a Friday matchup against the College of the Holy Cross at Nickerson Field. To secure their place in the six-team Patriot League Tournament, they must defeat the Crusaders (5-7, 2-5 Patriot League), who are in the midst of their own three-game losing streak.
Polley said that shooting will be a key area of focus in preparations for Friday’s game and beyond as his team looks to make the postseason for the first time in program history.
“We’re gonna continue to work at it and look at film,” he said. “We’ve got to shoot the ball better. We gotta practice shooting and guys gotta get out and shoot more. They have to make the shots.”
Jackie is a sports reporter for The Daily Free Press and has previously served as Managing Editor and Associate Sports Editor of the FreeP. At this moment, she's probably watching Shark Tank and thinking of ways to work, "and for that reason, I'm out," into casual conversations. Please send all inquiries in the form of a box combo from Cane's with no coleslaw and extra fries or follow her on Twitter at @jackie_bam
