The Boston University field hockey team (3-7, 0-2 Patriot League) lost two games over the weekend at New Balance field to push their losing streak to six games.
The Terriers lost 3-2 on Saturday to the Lafayette Leopards (7-5, 3-0 PL) on Saturday in double overtime in a hard-fought battle from both sides. The Terriers took the lead in the second quarter with a goal from freshman Jodie Conolly just under five minutes into the second quarter.
The scoring continued in the second quarter but it was the Leopards who added a pair of goals to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. They weather the storm and took advantage of the opportunities presented. Molly McAndrew scored Lafayette’s first goal off a rebound before she assisted on her team’s second goal.
The Terriers were able to tie the game at two in the third quarter after junior Ailsa Connolly scored her sixth goal of the season. Classmate Miya Denison had the assist on a perfectly placed pass.
The teams would each trade three shots in the fourth quarter but neither side found the back of the net, extending the game into overtime. The Terriers would have the only shot of the first overtime session before Lafayetter had four shots in the second overtime, the last being the game-winner.
Lisa van der Geest was the hero for Lafayette who had a wide open look at the goal and capitalized with a goal to give her squad a 3-2 victory in Boston.
BU head coach Sally Starr has seen some good and bad from her offense.
“We are doing a great job with our buildup through the midfield and have been careless and frantic with the ball in our attacking zone,” Starr said.
BU was back on the field on Sunday to take on the Pennsylvania Quakers (3-6, 1-1 Ivy League). Scoring chances were very limited as both teams made it hard for the opposing side to get any good looks at the goal.
The teams combined for 14 shots but just five of them were on goal. The one that mattered the most came from the stick of Madison Jiranek with eight minutes left in the game.
Starr was still optimistic after her team getting shut out.
“I thought we made big tactical strides in today’s game on some things we have been working on,” she said.
The loss on Sunday was the third time BU has not scored in the past four games. Their defense and goalkeeper has kept them in games, but the offense has not been there.
Despite the losing streak and lack of scoring, Starr is not panicking.
“You would never know we are on a losing streak the way the team competed this weekend,” Starr said.
The Terriers will be back in action on Friday when the take on Colgate University (2-10, 0-3) in Hamilton, New York. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.
“We have put ourselves in a situation where there is now little room for error in our conference games,” Starr said.
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