In the words of her coach, Farrell McClernon is “feeling it.” The freshman continued her early season influence on the No. 24 Boston University women’s soccer team Friday night at Nickerson Field as she netted two goals to lead the Terriers past St. Joseph’s University, 3-1.
“I just think we stayed with it,” said BU coach Nancy Feldman. “We stayed determined. Our attack was much more coordinated tonight, I thought we moved the ball better and possessed the ball into the attacking third. We kept after it.”
By dominating possession through the first 30 minutes at Nickerson Field, St. Joe’s (2-3-0) kept the Terriers (3-1-1) scoreless. The best chance for BU to hit the back of net came in the 10th minute when freshman Taleen Dimirdjian took a pass from junior Lauren Basham off the head but the ball trickled just past the right post.
BU has relied on youth to fuel its offense so far this season and Friday night was no different as a freshman trio created the first goal of the evening. In the 31st minute, Dimirdjian found classmate Emily Pallotta near the box who then found McClernon in the middle. McClernon fired the ball past St. Joe’s goalie Jen Kuhn for her second goal of the year.
“We’re definitely a team that once we get a goal we get our momentum going, so it was awesome,” McClernon said.
The lead wouldn’t last long as the Hawks scored just minutes later on their first shot of the game. Kaiti McCaffery took a free kick from near midfield and found Ali Wean in the box. Wean shot the ball high past BU goalie Stephanie Dreyer to tie the game, 1-1.
“It was really kind of a defensive letdown,” Feldman said. “It was marking in the box and we feel asleep.”
The Terriers were determined to go into halftime on a positive note and struck back with just two minutes remaining in the first half. Senior Paula Moniz dribbled down the left side of the field and made a perfect cross to sophomore Marisha Schumacher-Hodge, who was all alone in front for the easy header into the back of the net.
“When Paula got the ball I just made sure that I took it and ran as fast as I could and she put a perfect ball right to me,” Schumacher-Hodge said. “All I had to do was head it in.”
BU kept the pressure up in the second half to protect its lead as the teams traded shots for the first 20 minutes of the second frame. The Hawks’ best chance to equalize came with 17:30 remaining on another set piece. McCaffery again took a free kick from the middle of the field and placed it perfectly into the box. The ball bounced past the BU defenders and Dreyer but rolled harmlessly left of the goal.
The Terriers put the game away in the 80th minute. A corner kick from Schumacher-Hodge bounced onto the foot of McClernon who rocketed it past Kuhn for her second goal of the game and third of the young season.
“[On corners] they send me different places usually,” McClernon said. “It was just lucky I guess.”
BU outshot St. Joe’s, 9-3, for the match and is unbeaten in its last three games. Feldman said the defense was at fault for the lone goal scored against BU but otherwise played another strong game. She also credited the underclassmen for stepping up offensively.
“Half our team is freshmen and sophomores,” Feldman said. “By sheer percentages, they will be involved in our goal scoring. Lauren Erwin hasn’t gotten on the board but she’s doing everything else … For the young players it’s about building their confidence. [McClernon] is confident right now. When she gets confident, if she gets two chances she is going to put one away. That’s really important.”
The Terriers continue their non-conference schedule Tuesday when they travel to Connecticut to face Fairfield University.
“We plan on winning and winning and winning,” Schumacher-Hodge said. “We just want to be undefeated from now on and we plan on getting better everyday.”