In a rematch of the 2014 Patriot League Tournament final, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team will face No. 15/16 Loyola University Maryland in the Patriot League Tournament semifinal game on Friday.
Loyola (12-4, 8-0 Patriot League) is riding an 11-game win streak. The Terriers (8-8, 5-3 Patriot League) have no reason to be discouraged, though.
In 2014, BU overcame a difficult season and fought its way to the last round of the Patriot League Tournament, only to lose to Loyola in the finals.
Loyola has already best BU once on the 2015 campaign. On April 11, the Greyhounds bested the Terriers 9-6. The three-goal margin was the smallest margin of victory Loyola had won by since March 11 when it defeated the No. 5/6 University of Virginia 13-12 in overtime.
Redshirt junior attack Mallory Collins netted four goals during that contest against the Greyhounds. She has scored four or more goals in six matches this season and leads the team with 35 tallies.
When the teams squared off earlier this month, sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Meegan made 11 saves while allowing nine goals. This effort added to Meegan’s .477 save percentage on the season. She is first in the Patriot League in saves per game, averaging 8.31.
While BU coach Liz Robertshaw is impressed with both players’ abilities, she doesn’t pressure them to perform at such a high level all the time.
“I think it’s hard to expect that,” Robertshaw said. “They are both capable. We need to limit [Loyola’s] shots so Caroline doesn’t have to make as many saves.”
Loyola goalkeeper Molly Wolf has a .490 save percentage, which rings in at number one in the Patriot League.
The Greyhounds don’t just rely on their last line of defense, though. Loyola has a strong offense, leading the Patriot League with an average of 18.81 points a game. They are second in both goals a game with 12.5 and shots a game with 25.7. Almost 50 percent of the Greyhounds’ shots find the back of the net. Their .487 shot percentage also lands them at second in the league.
Loyola attacks Kara Burke and Hannah Schmitt are number three and four in the Patriot League in goals per game. Burke has 43 tallies on the season, while Schmitt has 42. Both average over 2.6 goals a game.
Attack Annie Thomas leads the Greyhounds with 68 points. The senior has 27 goals and a league-leading 41 assists.
Robertshaw said her team’s main focus is shutting down Loyola’s top scorers.
“[Our priority is] slowing down a potent Loyola attack,” she said. “We need to be aggressive in midfield transition and do a good job slowing them down. It’s going to take a full team effort.”
Team leaders junior midfielder Jill Horka and Collins have been polishing their skills during practice, and the team has been watching videos to prepare for the upcoming match.
Both have excelled in the past two victories against Lehigh University and Bucknell University. The Terriers have yet to win more than two games in a row this season, but Robertshaw said she is only focused on the game ahead and the game plan.
“We need to maintain possession of the ball,” she said. “And make sure on draw controls and 50/50 balls we’re in those. I also think we need to be confident in attacks, taking shot opportunities and sticking to our game plan. The entire team is excited to be here. They’re all working really hard.”
