The Boston University women’s soccer team held onto a six-game winning streak after a weekend 1-0 win against Loyola University Maryland, then was held to 1-1 after a tie against the United States Military Academy Wednesday.
Since opening conference play with a tie against American University, the Terriers (7-7-3, 5-0-2 Patriot League) had not allowed a goal against by a Patriot League opponent until the game against Army (6-4-6, 2-3-2 Patriot League).
BU head coach Nancy Feldman attributed the tie to a lack of responsibility from the team.
“We had control over it, so the frustration is that we let our foot off the gas,” Feldman said. “… We lost control of the match, even though we had the ball more and possessed it more in their half.”
The Terriers outshot the Black Knights 27-2 throughout the course of the game and held them without a corner kick.
Senior defender Chelsea Churchill challenged Army early, recording BU’s first two shots of the game and forcing Black Knight goalkeeper Sydney Cassalia to make her first of nine saves in the 17th minute.
On the first of nine corners for the Terriers, sophomore forward Anna Heilferty took to position.
Heilferty sent the ball into a cluster of players in front of the Army net, where freshman midfielder Taylor Kofton gained control and knocked the ball in with Cassalia on the ground behind her.
All of Kofton’s four goals have come against Patriot League rivals, making her the second in-conference goal scorer.
BU ended the first half with nine shots, but Feldman said halftime was when the team started to lose its focus.
“We relaxed just a hair against a team that has great athletes and are very well organized,” Feldman said. “… Score another goal or two and you can make a mistake, but we were on razor edge and we were acting like we weren’t.”
On the Black Knights’ second shot of the game, Army midfielder Morgan Walsh put up the tying tally after the Terrier defense failed to clear the ball from the 18-yard box of a rebound.
The Terriers increased its scoring attempts through the second half up to 13 but were unable to keep the game from going into overtime.
Heilferty put up eight shots through the game — adding to her league-leading total of 31 — including a heart-stopper off the the crossbar in the 108th minute.
In two overtime periods, the Black Knights were unable to get off a shot, but Cassalia held strong through the final minutes of the game, ending with nine saves under her belt.
Feldman said the team was solid defensively but needed to focus on finishing a team.
“A lot was happening before [the Army goal], but we should withstand two shots or two counter attacks,” Feldman said “I thought coming out of halftime we lost our edge, and you’ve got to put the team away.”
Before the 1-1 tie, BU had shut out five Patriot League opponents — most recently going 1-0 against Loyola (5-9-1, 1-5-1 Patriot League).
The Terriers had again outshot their opponents, tripling the Greyhounds attempts 12-4.
Loyola goalkeeper Sumer Rahe made seven saves throughout the match. The lone goal came off a deflection of the Greyhound’s own defender in the 87th minute.
Two goalkeepers — sophomore Amanda Fay and Morgan Messner — alternated starts, making one save against Army and one save against Loyola, respectively.
The win against the Greyhounds put the Terriers in second place within the Patriot League, clinching a spot in the postseason.
While Feldman saw the tie against Army as the result of a lack of focus, she said she believes the team is playing the way they need to to finish out the team’s final two conference matches of the regular season.
“I thought we played well, we just have to demonstrate more respect in the game and finish the game and not let up,” Feldman said. “As far as how we played the game and moved the ball and created attack and showed poise, I thought we’re on the right track.”
