Coming back home off an important road win at Colgate University, the Boston University women’s soccer team routed Loyola University Maryland, 4-1, Saturday on a cold, windy Nickerson Field.
This win is one that the Terriers (5-4-3, 3-0-1 Patriot League) will enjoy, as they avenge last season’s 1-0 loss to the Greyhounds (4-6-1, 2-1-1 Patriot League), their lone conference defeat.
Not only has BU snapped Loyola’s unbeaten streak in conference play, but it now sits atop the Patriot League standings, and is above .500 for the first time this season.
On a day where the game-time temperature was 49 degrees with 20 mph winds, both teams started off slowly, struggling to maintain possession.
The Terriers’ best opportunity to score first came in the eighth minute of play when junior defender Rachel Bloznalis’ corner kick found sophomore defender Alivya Wimmer, whose shot from inside the penalty area hit the top of the crossbar and fell out of play.
Coupled with freshman midfielder Julianna Chen’s chip shot that deflected off the far post after a free kick from Wimmer, BU was gradually gaining momentum, forcing Loyola sit back on defense for large stretches throughout the opening half.
A third free kick within Loyola territory proved to be one too many opportunities for the Terriers, as Bloznalis’ delivery into the Greyhound box found the head of freshman forward McKenna Doyle, who powered it by the hands of goalkeeper Colleen Folan to give BU the 1-0 lead.
Within three minutes after Doyle’s third goal of the season, BU was at it again. Off another set piece, Bloznalis served a ball from midfield into the Loyola box, which found the foot of sophomore midfielder Jesse Shreck. Shreck’s shot forced a great save from Folan, but the ball fell right to the feet of junior forward Alex Schlobohm, who tapped in the ricochet to give the Terriers a 2-0 lead going into halftime.
BU was the dominant side heading into the half, as it generated seven shots and five corners, while its backline did not allow a single shot or corner kick. Greyhound senior Rosy Hayes, who was third in the Patriot League in goals scored and total points coming into the match, could not assert herself and never seriously challenged senior goalkeeper Alyssa Parisi.
Four minutes into the second half of play, and BU again found the back of the net. After recovering a misplaced pass inside the Loyola half, Chen raced down the middle, bringing in two defenders to close on her before smoothly laying it off to Doyle on the left side.
After two touches, Doyle made a cut in and fired a bending shot into the top corner over the outstretched hands of Loyola’s backup goalkeeper Sumer Rahe, giving BU a 3-0 lead on her team-leading fourth goal of the season.
Though the Greyhounds went into Nickerson Field having scored seven of their 11 goals after the first 45 minutes, their chances at mounting a comeback over Parisi and the Terrier back line looked more daunting as play continued.
BU ended any thoughts of a Loyola comeback in the 66th minute when senior midfielder Rachel Blauner’s cross to classmate Clare Pleuler forced a close-range save from Rahe. Rahe’s save did not make it past Terrier senior striker Jenna Fisher, who volleyed the ball past Rahe for her team’s fourth goal of the game and her second goal this season.
BU’s shutout bid ended in the 70th minute when Loyola senior Charlotte Miller, off a set piece, found freshman Julianna Cabrera, who put her first collegiate goal past Parisi to cut the deficit to three. However, BU finished the match strong in the 4-1 victory.
When asked about her team’s dominance on restarts against Loyola, BU coach Nancy Feldman cited the team’s repetition in practice.
“Restarts are a big part of scoring goals,” Feldman said. “[Loyola] got one [goal] on their restart. You train them from the beginning of preseason and sometimes you put in a few wrinkles, but you sometimes stay with your meat and potatoes. That is, [with] a great server of the ball, you get your players running to different spots in the box, and hope the delivery of the ball will put one of the players in a position to get a try [on goal].”
Schlobohm’s goal in the victory over Loyola marked the 10th different Terrier to score this season, showing that they do not need to rely on one player offensively. Feldman echoed this sentiment, highlighting her squad’s possession style of play.
“I’m a firm believer that offensive balance is a much better way to go than relying on one player,” Feldman said. “We have two natural goal-scorers on the team, but we don’t predicate our whole attack to isolate one player. We’re kind of free-flowing, move the ball, maintain mobility and find the open player.”
