After its 4-1 win over Loyola University Maryland, the Boston University women’s soccer team, undefeated in league play before Saturday, finds itself in first place in league standings when just last month it was winless and struggling to score goals.
BU’s (5-4-3, 3-0-1 Patriot League) unbeaten streak has now extended to seven games, over which it has outscored its opponents 16-5. BU coach Nancy Feldman attributes the rapid development of the offense to time.
“Our team started practice August 4 and started matches on August 17,” Feldman said. “It’s more important for a team to progress over time, and since August, our team has made important strides, particularly moving the ball up from defense to offense, and we’re starting to see the results that our girls have worked toward.”
Set pieces key to Terriers’ dominance
One major statistical category that separated BU from the Greyhounds (4-6-1, 2-1-1 Patriot League) last Saturday was its ability to not only draw fouls, but to consistently create dangerous scoring chances around them.
In the 4-1 win over Loyola, the Terriers took a healthy eight corner kicks, while making sure their opponent did not get a single corner. The high number of corner kicks is irrelevant if the team does not use them to its advantage, but BU’s best chances came off those set pieces where players such as sophomore defender Alivya Wimmer and freshman midfielder Julianna Chen were denied by the woodwork.
With regards to players that often took the free kicks, Feldman mentioned two players in particular.
“We have a couple great servers of the ball in [junior defender] Rachel Bloznalis and [senior midfielder] Clare Pleuler,” Feldman said. “The goal we got at American University was the result of a free kick by Clare Pleuler that went off the top of the crossbar and we were able to finish it off the rebound. Restarts are an important part of scoring goals.”
Offensive balance arrives for BU
Prior to this recent offensive surge, the Terrier offense was nonexistent, scoring a paltry two goals while their opponents put nine in the back of the net.
Since its loss to Northeastern University on Sept. 3, BU has scored at least two goals in five of its last seven games, and has put up four-goal scorelines in two of its last four matches.
Freshman forward McKenna Doyle is leading the team with four goals thus far, asserting herself in the game against the Greyhounds with two goals in the victory.
Being a freshman on a Division I women’s soccer has not fazed Doyle, who credits her consistent play of late simply to practice.
“I soak everything in that this program has to offer,” Doyle said. “Coach and a lot of the other players, especially [senior forward] Jenna Fisher, have taught me a lot. I’ve learned so much so fast and it’s been an experience. I just enjoy it and have fun.”
Nine other Terriers have found the back of the net this season, with junior forward Alex Schlobohm joining the list last Saturday versus the Greyhounds.
This brand of offensive balance is something that Feldman hopes to keep going the rest of the way.
“We’re built for multiple goal scorers,” Feldman said. “It’s great to see McKenna Doyle being our leading goal-scorer. She’s a talent, and she’s done a really good job at learning the system, and part of that is her defending responsibilities.
“We don’t put freshman out onto the field until they understand their defending responsibilities,” Feldman added, “so she’s done a good job of soaking it up and then bringing her talent and attack. It’s nice scoring some goals at home. We have eight goals in two conference games at home, and we’re hopefully going to keep that going.”
