The Boston University women’s soccer team defeated Army West Point in the Patriot League semifinal 2-1 on Thursday, advancing to the Patriot League Final on Sunday.
The game started and ended with an intensity that was inspired by the players themselves.
“They do a really good job of bringing the best out of each other and continuing to build confidence, no matter what the situation in the game,” said BU assistant coach Megan Burke. “Whether we’re up 3-0, whether we’re down 1-0, they always bring it and they do it for each other.”
This atmosphere was displayed from the very beginning of the game. Army (12-6-1, 5-3-1 Patriot League) had an early try at goal with a shot by sophomore forward Sabrina Rogers from outside the box. The Terriers (6-7-6, 5-0-4 PL) had to fight for every possession while Army started to dominate.
Both sides had favorable offensive chances, one coming from a missed header by junior forward Margy Porta. BU’s freshman goalkeeper Bridget Carr got her first save of the night, denying Rogers’ powerful shot.
Midway through the half, BU had to sustain pressure from Army’s strong offense. Senior forward Kaelan Bradley converted the penalty nearly 29 minutes in.
The Terriers had to play from behind now that they were 1-0 down. However, they are not strangers to this feeling.
“Non-conference play taught us a lot,” Burke said. “So, when we got into Patriot League play, we were just prepared for anything.”
The Terriers picked up their intensity and possession with positive plays, attempting to challenge Army’s lead. BU’s senior defender Hugrún Helgadóttir was fouled right outside the box, giving junior midfielder Giulianna Gianino a chance for a free kick, but the shot went right to Black Knights’ senior goalkeeper Sage Strohman.
The first half ended 1-0, with BU aiming for a comeback.
The Terriers came out strong at the start of the second half, looking for an equalizer.
Fifteen minutes into the half, the Terriers dominated possession but still didn’t have any offensive breakthrough. Sixty-five minutes in, the Terriers sent in substitutes sophomore forward Kat Slott and freshman midfielder Olivia Avellar to look for that breakthrough.
The offensive intensity increased after the substitutes led to a strong offensive push for the Terriers. Senior Morgan Fagan scored the equalizer, assisted by Gianino, breathing life back into BU’s game and season. Their offensive intensity didn’t stop there as the Terriers looked for the winner.
With four seconds left in regular time, BU forced a corner for a last-ditch effort but came up short, ending regulation 1-1 and sending the game to overtime.
The Terriers and Army were forced to play two 10-minute overtime periods with the golden goal rule. Nerves were through the roof –– both teams tried to avoid a season-ending mistake. At the beginning of overtime, Slott had a great chance at a goal but just missed with the ball bouncing off the post.
After a tense first period in overtime, no team converted, which forced the second 10-minute overtime period. With four minutes left in the second, BU’s attacking star Gianino came off with an injury.
The clock ticked down to one minute left. Right before the game headed into a shootout, Porta got the shot off a rebound after an impressive build-up play from Fagan and scored, sending the Terriers to the PL Final.
This dramatic ending represented the hard work and resilience the team has carried throughout the season.
“This means everything to us. I think it’s more than soccer at this point,” Porta said. “We’re proving it each game, so we’re excited to keep it going to the championship.”
The Terriers look to end their conference season on a high against Bucknell University on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. for the Patriot League Final.
