The Boston University field hockey team (6-10, 3-3 Patriot League) fell in its regular season finale against Cornell University by a score of 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at New Balance Field.
Prior to the game, the Terriers honored seniors Payton Anderson, Ella Rottinghaus, Katie Devine, Tegan Poerio and Tess Csejka and graduate students Pili Alvarez and Kate Thomason for their dedication and commitment to the program.
“Our core value is JIPS. It’s joy, integrity, passion and selflessness,” head coach Sally Starr said. “And the seven of them, without exception, demonstrated that consistently day in, day out.”
Cornell was relentless in its offensive assault in the opening moments of the first period, applying significant pressure in the Terriers’ zone. The first shot came five minutes into the start of the game, when Cornell senior forward Antonia Packard attempted to score, but her shot sailed wide of the goal.
Unable to penetrate the Big Red’s defense, the Terriers initially struggled to establish themselves offensively. However, buoyed by their captain, Anderson, the Terriers aimed to flip the momentum in their favor.
Nearly 10 minutes in, Cornell sophomore midfielder Julia Ramsey took a penalty corner and orchestrated a set play that connected with her teammates. However, BU goalie Kate Thomason thwarted the opportunity with an impressive glove save.
Despite Cornell’s dominant start, the tide began to shift as the Terriers found the back of the net. Twenty-eight seconds after Ramsey’s attempt, BU’s Csejka deftly placed the ball into the left side of the net to score her fourth goal of the season, granting BU a 1-0 lead.
As the period progressed, Cornell struck back with time running out.
Freshman forward Uma Käding fired a shot that Thomason expertly saved. However, Käding reclaimed the rebound and scored, leveling the game at one apiece and earning her fifth goal of the season.
“Cornell definitely owned that first quarter,” Starr said. “What I really liked is that we solved the problems in the second, particularly the third and fourth, quarters.”
With the score tied heading into the second period, both teams were eager to gain an edge over their opponent. The Terriers emerged with a more aggressive posture compared to their previous play.
The Terriers nearly took a 2-1 lead during a breakaway, but they couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity. The Big Red soon reasserted themselves, and sophomore midfielder Polly Parsons took a shot that was met with a Thomason save.
With a minute left before the second half of the game, Cornell’s Käding scored once again to regain a 2-1 advantage.
In the third period, the Big Red aimed to further extend their lead, but their efforts were stymied by the resolute Terriers’ defense, who kept the nail-biting contest at a one-goal game.
The Terriers were still trailing by a single goal as they faced the final 15 minutes of the match. Early on, they earned their second power play. Sophomore fullback Bella Bergner assisted Devine, but her shot was blocked.
The Terriers threw everything they had at Cornell, continuously applying pressure in the Big Red zone, but they struggled to find that elusive moment to tie the game. Throughout the period, BU relentlessly sought an opening to even the score, but they ultimately came up empty-handed past the ninetieth minute.
BU will now turn its focus against Patriot League’s top-seeded American University on Thursday, Nov. 7 for a semifinal matchup. Game time is scheduled for 11 a.m. in Washington, D.C.
