Alyssa Parisi dominates Holy Cross, posts sixth shutout

There are many reasons that help explain why the Boston University women’s soccer team has surrendered just three goals in its last five games.

For one, the Terriers (8-5-3, 6-0-1 Patriot League) focus on controlling the possession, in order to limit the other team’s shot count. In addition, the back line has been dominant in winning loose balls and preventing the opponent’s top scorers from breaking free.

However, in Wednesday night’s 3-0 home win over the College of the Holy Cross, the main cause for the shutout was undoubtedly senior goalkeeper Alyssa Parisi. The Camarillo, California, native recorded four saves vs. the Crusaders (4-8-3, 1-4-2 Patriot League) en route to another shutout.

It may have been only four saves, but it was the way that Parisi made the saves that caused her stand out in the game. Her most impressive save came in the 34th minute, when forward Annie Galvin snuck past the Terrier back line and streaked towards the goal.

A well-aware Parisi sprinted out of the six-yard box towards the senior and disrupted the shot attempt with her chest. The ball then rolled back to a BU defender and was cleared away from danger.

BU coach Feldman had high praise for that heads-up play from Parisi.

“It was textbook goalkeeping on that breakaway,” Feldman said. “It’s textbook because her poise and her confidence to hold herself upright until the final moment, and not play herself out is experience and confidence. We’re so fortunate to have her back there, she’s done that a few times on the road for us, and that was a big moment.”

Parisi also made other solid plays in front of the net. In the 21st minute, she reached up and deflected a well-hit shot over the post, then punched the ball away on the resulting corner kick.

“She’s just been really steady, and her distribution is a plus for us,” Feldman said. “I look at goalkeeping as, ‘Can it be at least a neutral?’ Because if it can, I think that you give your team a chance to win. It’s great when you can get a plus in goal, and it doesn’t happen every year, because a plus in goal is someone who is talented, experienced and poised. This year, we got a plus in goal, and that’s something that can really carry a team to a regular season championship and more.”

Along with her six shutouts, Parisi finished Wednesday’s game with a goals-against average of 0.80, good enough for first in the Patriot League.

Parisi also sits in fourth in the conference in save percentage, as she sports a .815 rate. Feldman credits her goalkeeper’s success to the experience she has gained over the years.

“It’s experience and it’s training,” Feldman said. “It’s been working with her for two years now, and it’s her having experience as the starting goalkeeper last year. So she comes back this year [and] she’s like, ‘I’ve been there, I’ve done it.’ She’s just gaining experience in the game.

“You can train all you want, but if you don’t get real game experience, it’s hard to be a game goalkeeper,” Feldman added. “Because it’s not just shot after shot like training is. It’s making a lot of decisions, seeing it before it happens. [Parisi] is better this year because she’s gaining really great experience from last year.”