The Boston University men’s lacrosse team defeated No. 19 Loyola University Maryland in an overtime thriller Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field.
In desperate need of a win after two consecutive league losses, the Terriers (10-3, 4-3 Patriot League) clinched their first Patriot League Tournament berth in program history.
The Terriers opened the game strong, forcing two Loyola (7-5, 5-2 Patriot League) turnovers and creating scoring opportunities to give them a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
However, the Greyhounds quickly retorted with three goals of their own to close out the quarter even at three goals apiece.
The Greyhounds tallied three more goals in the second period, cushioning their lead by two goals heading into the half.
While the Terriers performed evenly with the Greyhounds in the first half in most categories, turnovers were the difference. The Terriers’ inability to clear the ball successfully 4 out of 7 times in the first half cost them multiple goals.
However, BU turned the game around in the second half after conceding one more goal during much back-and-forth play.
Senior midfielder Cal Dearth led the BU attack, which scored three goals in the final minutes of the third quarter, closing the gap to just one goal heading into the fourth.
“We just needed a shot,” said BU head coach Ryan Polley. “The third quarter wasn’t any different than any other quarter. We just needed that play. We scored, then they came right back, then we scored.”
The Terriers dominated both ends of the field in the third quarter, outshooting the Greyhounds 9-6 and scooping twice as many ground balls on the defensive end.
Both sides exchanged goals throughout the fourth. However, Dearth carried the Terrier offense, tying a career-high with five goals.
In addition to Dearth’s performance, junior faceoff specialist and midfielder Joe Stucky took on his role, winning 10 of the 14 second half faceoffs.
“[On the faceoffs] it took me a couple of reps to get used to their speed and power,” Stucky said. “I think it was confidence that got me going. Then I just got into a rhythm.”
Senior goalie Christian Carson-Banister’s performance was important as well. Perhaps the most consistent player the whole game, Carson-Banister recorded two saves in each quarter.
Sixty minutes of regulation was not enough to decide the game, so the teams went to overtime.
Stucky won the faceoff in overtime, giving BU crucial possession.
Unlike the tempo earlier in the game, the Terriers slowed down the pace, as they circled the ball around the net a couple times, enough to create a small aperture for sophomore attacker James Burr to shoot through and score.
“They dropped into zone, but we didn’t really change our scheme,” Burr said. “We play the same way on man defense and zone defense. Luckily we had an open look and so [we scored].”
Next Friday, the Terriers will end the regular season at home against the College of the Holy Cross. Should Loyola lose its game against the United States Military Academy, the Terriers can secure a first round bye and the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament with a win against the Crusaders (4-8, 4-3 Patriot League).
The Terriers have several star performers who consistently put their best foot forward, and a Patriot League Tournament win can add to their legacy.
“We want this to be a special legacy,” Polley said. “Today was a big chapter in that legacy.”
