The Boston University women’s soccer team is flat-out struggling to put the ball into the back of the net.
For the fifth time in its first nine games, the Terriers came up empty in a 1-0 loss to Yale University last night at Reese Field in New Haven, Conn.
The Bulldogs (4-4-0) used an early first-half goal to end BU’s modest two-game unbeaten streak and earn their third straight victory before 237 people. Yale recorded its third straight shutout victory, while the loss marked the fourth 1-0 setback of the season for the Terriers (3-5-1).
The Bulldogs went on the attack early in the game, as junior forward Maggie Westfal forced BU redshirt freshman goaltender Janie Reilly to make a save 1:12 into the contest. Just more than nine minutes into the game, Yale freshman midfielder Kate Macauley forced Reilly to come up with another stop.
Four minutes later, Westfal and freshman Becky Brown combined to give the Bulldogs the lead. The team’s leading scorers worked a give-and-go on the left side of the Terrier defense, and Westfal buried her team-leading fourth goal of the season from the left side of the box.
“[Brown and Westfal] had the ball on the left flank and combined around our defense and we didn’t do a good job covering the combination,” said BU coach Nancy Feldman. “It was a mental breakdown on the play. We know how to cover it and we lost our concentration at a critical moment.”
BU outshot the Bulldogs, 7-5, in the first frame and had one corner kick, but only senior forward Lauren Basham put a shot on goal for BU. In the last nine minutes of the half, neither squad produced a shot.
In the second half, junior forward Jennifer Herman and freshman midfielder Tiya Gallegos started in place of sophomore forward Farrell McClernon and redshirt freshman midfielder Shauna Kelleher. Neither Gallegos nor Herman were able to get off a shot, but Feldman said Gallegos and Herman earned their spots on the field.
“Tiya came in off the bench in the first half and did very well,” Feldman said. “We wanted to give her more time because she was creating more chances for herself and others. It was nothing against Farrell, but other kids are chomping at the bit to get in there and are capable of helping the team out.”
Yale took the offensive initiative once again early in the frame, as the Bulldogs fired six shots in the opening 6:05 of the half. Two of the shots went on net, but Reilly stopped both threats. She has yet to give up more than one goal in a game.
“Janie played very well,” Feldman said. “She had no chance on the goal and she made some tough saves in the second half to keep it 1-0. She also snuffed out some partial breakaways.”
In the last ten minutes of the game, the Terriers amped up their offensive attack. In the 85th minute, a Schumacher-Hodge shot was blocked by Sumiyasu, and in the 86th minute, junior defender Mallory Doyle fired a shot wide.
“We had a couple good looks and worked hard for 90 minutes,” Feldman said. “We have to do better in the critical moments and keep plugging away and work as a team, not as individuals.”
Senior goalie Susan Starr and Sumiyasu combined on the shutout for Yale, as Starr played the first half before giving way to Sumiyasu in the second stanza.
BU returns to action Saturday when it opens America East play against the University of Vermont at Nickerson Field.
“We are looking forward to America East play because it gives us a fresh start and a chance to play some more meaningful games,” Feldman said. “We want a conference championship and we have the ability to get it done, but we have a few critical things to work on.”
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