“Two steps forward, one step back.”
In the words of Coach Sally Starr, that is what this season has been like for the Boston University field hockey team, currently ranked 16th in the country.
Take as an example the Terriers’ big wins over the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Connecticut, which were followed by an overtime shootout loss to the University of Vermont, a team the Terriers had not lost to in 20 years.
But with just two games remaining in the season, there’s no room left for stepping backward. So the team will look to head into the America East Championships on Nov. 8 at full speed with a pair of victories in its final games.
The Terriers’ first task is knocking off Harvard University (8-5) today at Jack Barry Field in Cambridge. A formidable opponent, Harvard enters the contest losers of two straight games.
When describing the Crimson, Starr uses adjectives such as “fast,” “attacking,” “high-tempo” and “athletic.”
“Harvard has one of their better teams,” Starr said. “It’s a very big regional game.”
Starr is expecting the Terriers to be well prepared, though. The team showed plenty of intensity during yesterday’s practice.
“The energy was outstanding and the focus was excellent,” Starr said. “I think the team is ready to regain its footing.”
Wear and tear on a team can become an issue this late in the season, but Starr said the Terriers are actually getting stronger at this point.
“We have had some players pretty banged up the last couple of weeks, but they’re starting to get healthier,” Starr said.
The Terriers should have health on their side for the stretch run, but not experience. This is a young team that relies a lot on even its freshmen to produce. But so far, the rookies have answered the bell.
Midfielder Colleen McClay was named America East Rookie of the Week on Monday and became the third Terrier this season to earn the honor. McClay was a key cog in the offensive attack that has put up 10 goals in two games.
“We have a very strong freshman class,” Starr said. “They’re excellent teammates as well as excellent players.”
But even though the team is young, Starr is not looking at this as a building year. Especially with a strong senior goaltender like Susan Harrington, this squad can be a winner now.
“The prospects for BU field hockey are excellent,” Starr said. “But we have a good team right now. This team does not want its season to end.”
A win today against Harvard will give the Terriers the confidence they’re going to need to be playing into the month of November.