The Boston University women’s lacrosse team emerged victorious against Fairfield University on Wednesday afternoon at Nickerson Field, snapping its three-game losing streak in a 10-9 overtime finish.
The win was BU’s (2-4) first since Feb. 25 and came at the right time, giving the team a boost of confidence just before it begins league play.
BU head coach Liz Robertshaw was very pleased with the win and the team’s overall play.
“These are the kinds of games you really enjoy coaching,” Robertshaw said. “Their head coach [Laura Field] is one of my good friends, so I enjoy that battle. I think it’s exciting and it keeps the team energized.”
The first half was tightly contested, as both teams netted three goals each within the first 15 minutes of play. Neither team could jump ahead by more than one goal, as any time the Terriers scored, Fairfield (2-4) found a way to respond.
After a scoring drought that lasted nearly 10 minutes, freshman midfielder Lexi Lewis scored on a free position goal. It was her second goal of the season, and gave the Terriers a 4-3 lead with just under nine minutes left in the first half.
As it had several times already, Fairfield responded within just a few minutes, as senior attacker Riley Hellstein scored on a free position goal of her own, bringing her individual season total to 19 goals.
BU jumped out to yet another lead when senior attacker Taylor Hardison made a brilliant pass to junior midfielder Caroline English at the 1:53 mark, but senior Scarlett Sulliman responded within seconds for Fairfield, and the first half ended in a 5-5 tie.
BU led Fairfield in shots (16-12) at the end of the period, and was eight of nine in clears, but trailed 12-4 in ground ball pickups. One thing that also aided BU was its controlled style of play. The Terriers picked up only one yellow card compared to four for the Stags.
The second half played out just like the first, with neither team able to hold onto the lead. The Stags struck first, but BU responded with two goals within 20 seconds of each other from junior attacker Mickenzie Larivee and sophomore midfielder Kelly Mathews. Freshman attacker Kailey Conry assisted on both.
The Terriers only held the 7-6 lead for a few minutes, as Fairfield struck twice in the next 10 minutes to go up 8-7. The teams then traded goals until they were tied at nine.
Neither team was able to score in the final six minutes of regulation, forcing a competitive contest that headed into overtime.
With 1:18 remaining in overtime, Conry scored for the Terriers, sealing the deal for a 10-9 victory.
“I think it’s great, she’s playing with confidence, getting comfortable,” Robertshaw said of Conry. “Four assists and the game-winning goal is great for a freshman, and I think she can do even more.”
It was an important team win for the Terriers, who needed a victory after a winless trip to California.
Six different Terriers scored in the victory, and senior goalkeeper Caroline Meegan registered 9 saves, shutting down the Stags in the final nine and a half minutes of regulation, as well as the overtime period. With important games against Patriot League opponents rapidly approaching, having a wide variety of contributors will be important for BU if it is to succeed in conference play.
Robertshaw said she loved seeing a diverse group of scorers for the Terriers.
“I thought it was awesome. I thought the fact that [senior attacker Elisabeth] Jayne set the pace and Mickenzie Larivee had some good looks … [it] was awesome,” Robertshaw said. “We had a lot of different looks and I think that’s awesome for us moving forward.”
