The 2015 season was a memorable one for the Boston University women’s soccer team.
The Terriers (13-6-3, 8-0-1 Patriot League) started off 0-4-2 but finished as Patriot League champions with a second round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. BU showed resiliency and progression over the course of the season.
It wasn’t just any ordinary conference title win for the Terriers, but an historic one. BU went undefeated in the Patriot League and is the first team since 1999 to win three straight Patriot League titles.
Every player on the roster made an important contribution to the team. Fourteen different Terriers netted goals this season, and 10 earned assists. BU finished second in both goals and assists in the Patriot League.
BU coach Nancy Feldman, who was recently inducted in the New England Soccer Hall of Fame, lauded the camaraderie of her bunch.
“They’re gritty and how that was demonstrated was through hard work [and] toughness which persisted when there were setbacks,” Feldman said. “They were very positive with each other and didn’t make excuses. This is a group that loves to play soccer and really has a passion for playing.”
Feldman also noted BU’s team-first mentality, which led the Terriers to a 2-1 overtime win over St. John’s University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Some of it is the way I coach and my ideals,” Feldman said. “Soccer is the ultimate team game. You can’t just rely on one player — that’s our philosophy, that’s how we coach. A lot of it is thanks to the wonderful senior leaders we had who embraced the ideals of team cohesion. When the leaders embrace the coach’s philosophy, typically you have a group that is stronger because everybody is thinking the same way.”
The Terriers notched five straight shutouts to close out the regular season, highlighting their conference-leading defense.
The back line was led by senior defender McKenzie Hollenbaugh, who was named Patriot League Defender of the Year. Hollenbaugh, who started all 22 games, played physical and gritty defense that gave opposing offenses trouble near the box.
Meanwhile, for Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year Alyssa Parisi, her duties persisted off the pitch. She finished second in the Patriot League in shutouts (six), and her leadership and intangibles off the pitch impressed Feldman throughout the campaign.
“She demonstrated how someone can grow so much if they’re open to growth and willing to be a little vulnerable,” Feldman said. “I watched Aly Parisi emerge as an even better version of herself, as a goalkeeper, a leader and as a person ready to go on into the world and be successful and take all the lessons she has learned.”
Senior midfielder Clare Pleuler also drew praise from the coaching staff for her play on both sides of the ball the entire season. She proved herself a key contributor on defense, while totaling four goals and four assists on the offensive end. Pleuler’s name was called all season by Feldman to help Parisi and Hollenbaugh lead the Terriers, and she answered.
“What I learned from Clare is that there is a beauty side of the game,” Feldman said. “I’m kind of a meat-and-potatoes type person, and she showed me the spice. Clare showed me how to look at the game through a different lens. Clare gave me another perspective on the game of soccer, and I feel very fortunate for that.”
All that considered, even the future shines bright for the Terriers. It’s not common for a freshman to play a vital role on successful teams, but that was not the case with Patriot League Rookie of the Year McKenna Doyle, who led the team in goals with six.
Feldman discussed how her young players stepped up this season and how they can translate what they’ve learned to next season.
“Next year is going to be a new version of BU women’s soccer,” Feldman said. “We had a lot young players that contributed — [freshman midfielder] Julianna Chen, [junior midfielder] Alex Cooper, [freshman midfielder] Dorrie Varley-Barrett and McKenna Doyle to name a few. They now know what it takes, and knowing what it takes will allow them to learn from their experience this year.
“I’m hoping both the positive culture will be carried on and [the returning players] will step up and eventually take lead.”
