In the second matchup of their two-game homestand, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team lost 17-13 in a Turnpike Trophy contest against the College of the Holy Cross.
Both sides entered the competition in poor form, with the Terriers (6-4, 1-3 Patriot League) having lost four of their last five and the Crusaders (4-7, 1-2 PL) on a four-game losing streak.
The Crusaders dominated on both sides of the ball in the first half, with freshman goalie Mackenzie Creagh posting 10 saves and senior attacks Henna Brennan and Jenna Giardina each recording a hat trick. BU outscored Holy Cross 11-3 in the second half, but their comeback effort came short.
“We were really flat [in the first half]. We generated shots, but I don’t think our finishing put us in a position to go up,” BU head coach Lauren Morton said. “We, early on in the game, put ourselves in too big of a hole.”
After leading 2-1 for two minutes in the first quarter, BU was stifled by both the Crusaders’ defense and by the clock. The Terriers committed a shot clock violation before halftime and went down by 10 goals midway through the second quarter, pitting them against a running clock as they attempted to reign the Crusaders in.
BU managed to stay dominant in the draw circle and had an edge when securing ground balls. The Terriers finished with 25-9 and 13-7 advantages in each stat, respectively. It wasn’t until the second half that the Terriers’ refreshed pace and newfound intensity, led by freshman midfielder Jayne Feeney and her four goals, allowed those stats to reflect on the scoreboard.
“[Feeney] wants to win. There’s such a will to win, you can see she’s willing to do everything she can to put the team on her back,” Morton said. “She’s such an intense player.”
However, that same intensity led to a late fourth-quarter offensive foul from Feeney, part of a larger trend of fouls, yellow cards and violations that kept BU from completing a comeback. Morton partially attributed the Crusaders’ success to her team’s lack of discipline.
“[The fouls and violations] gave them opportunities. They went six for seven off the eight meter,” Morton said. “That’s going to hurt you for sure.”
When sophomore attack Hannah Tillier found the back of the net early in the fourth quarter, BU got back within single digits.
Five Terriers netted at least two goals during the game. A Holy Cross turnover with just over two minutes remaining in the game led to senior attack Lauren Kaye’s second of the night, bringing BU within four, the team’s smallest deficit since late in the opening quarter.
By the final buzzer, however, the Crusaders’ 13-0 goal run in the middle frames would prove to be too much for the Terriers. This loss was BU’s first in-conference to an unranked opponent this season.
As the Terriers head on the road this weekend, Morton emphasized a return to quality.
“A big piece as we head into another quick turnaround with a conference team on Saturday is being able to start the game with an intensity and be[ing] able to play the way we know we’re capable of playing for a full four quarters,” Morton said.
The Terriers will travel to face Lafayette College on Saturday, April 1 with the opening draw set for 12 p.m.
