The No. 14 Boston University field hockey team and New Balance Field will host the Patriot League Tournament Friday and Saturday, the team’s first time hosting a conference tournament since 2000.
The Terriers (12-6, 6-0 Patriot League) will take on Bucknell University in the Patriot League semifinal, with both teams looking to compete in Saturday’s championship match. American University and Lafayette College will also play Friday for the remaining spot in the title game.
The Terriers have battled all season for home-field advantage throughout the tournament, finally earning the honor over the Bison (8-10, 3-3 Patriot League) on Oct. 24. Armed with season-ending accolades, the team enters Friday’s game with three of the most sought-after awards in the Patriot League.
Senior co-captains Sofi Laurito and Rachel Coll were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.
This is not the first accolade for Coll, as she earned the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week award three of the last four weeks in the season. As strong as she’s been defensively, Coll also nabbed five goals and five assists over the course of the season.
Laurito leads the Terriers into the tournament with 25 points on 11 goals and three assists. She is also tied for the league lead with 61 shots.
Meanwhile, junior midfielder Hester van der Laan made All-Patriot League First Team, and junior forwards Taylor Blood and Amanda Cassera made All-Patriot League Second Team.
BU coach Sally Starr explained that the accolades mean nothing without a strong dynamic, something that’s a strength for the Terriers.
“We have some really talented athletes and players on our team, but we’re not a team that just relies on one, two or three players,” Starr said. “We truly are very talented across the board, and people coming off the bench are really quality players. Yeah, we got individual accolades, but I think our strength is our team.”
Friday’s game will be a rematch of last year’s Patriot League Championship in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where the Terriers emerged as 2-1 victors over the Bison.
The Bison have several strong players this year. Senior Kiersten Sydnor finished the season as the top point-scorer in the conference with 31. Freshman Nicole Rupnik will also be one to watch. She scores 0.39 goals per game and has two game-winning tallies.
Starr explained that although the Terriers had regular season success, tomorrow’s match is just another game.
“You work hard, really starting last winter and spring, and through the summer, and everything is aimed towards championship play, and tomorrow it’s a new season,” Starr said. “It’s a new day. It’s a new opportunity for us and I think it’s exciting. The biggest thing is that it’s also just another hockey game, and you just have to play it like it’s another hockey game.”
Starr also stressed that her team will be focused on playing purposefully urgently.
“We just really have to play the game that we’re capable of playing and keep the focus where it needs to be,” Starr said, “and that’s playing 70 minutes of really attacking, aggressive, smart hockey.”
