The Boston University women’s soccer team defeated Army West Point 1-0 on Wednesday to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League conference.
The win led to the Terriers to finish their regular season undefeated in the Patriot League (5-7-6, 5-0-4 PL).
The first half was an absolute shootout, with the Terriers taking seven shot attempts compared to five by the Black Knights (12-5-1, 5-3-1 Patriot League). Junior midfielder Giulianna Gianino gave BU six opportunities from corner kicks.
Army’s and BU’s playstyles could not have been more different. The Terriers moved the ball upfield efficiently to the goal box as the Black Knights assembled a wall to prevent any scores. Army spread the floor and made long passes easier for the Terriers to intercept.
The Black Knights spent the first half carving up BU’s defense with its run-and-gun playstyle and some close shot attempts, particularly from Army junior midfielder Brigid Duffy. But Army had to face the dynamic duo of freshman goalie Bridget Carr and junior defender Helene Tyburczy.
Army had its own solid goalie, senior Sage Strohman, but no one on the field was as disruptive as Tyburczy. The junior often stole the ball from the strikers to prevent shot attempts.
The first half ended with donuts on both sides.
The second half changed the game as the Terriers ramped up the intensity. They continued their methodic playstyle for the last 45 minutes.
“It was just continuing to push the things that we were doing really well onto them,” assistant coach Megan Burke said. “Let’s continue to grow on it.”
The onslaught of goal attempts continued for the Terriers. Senior forward and speedster Morgan Fagan attempted one that landed just above the crossbar.
It was a Fagan fastbreak and some assistance from senior defender Hugrún Helgadóttir that led to a goal from freshman midfielder Olivia Avellar. This marked Avellar’s first goal of her college career and essentially sealed the game for the Terriers.
“It feels great, but at the end of the day, the bench is the energy,” Avellar said. “You can really feel the whole team behind you on the field, and I think that’s what gives me the confidence to be able to finish in that final moment, even under pressure, and that’s just what we needed.”
The last seven minutes consisted of the Black Knights’ final attempts to tie, but with the Terriers ending the game as the PL’s No. 2 seed, they will get a bye in conference play.
“We’re definitely going to take advantage of [the bye] to turn our bodies around and really take that time to get people the rest they need, but also stay really sharp on the ball,” Burke said.
The Terriers will face their next opponent on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m. in their first round of conference play.