The Boston University field hockey team ended its season with a 3-1 loss to Drexel University in the first round of the ECAC Championship on Saturday at Yale University’s Johnson Field.
The second-seeded Terriers (11-10) had hoped to use this tournament as a way to put a positive ending on a disappointing season and as a springboard for better things next year. After jumping out to a 1-0 lead, however, BU gave up three consecutive goals, ruining any chance at finishing the season on a high note.
Things started out well for the Terriers, who opened the scoring with 23:43 left in the first half as freshman forward Natalie DiSabato scored off of a pass from junior forward Celeste Hubbard.
It was the first game for both players since being honored in the America East. Hubbard, the Terriers leading scorer this season, was named to the All-Conference First Team, while DiSabato was named to the All-Rookie team.
DiSabato’s goal was as good as things would get for the Terriers all day.
By the end of the half, third-seeded Drexel responded with two goals, the first coming with 12:06 remaining as senior midfielder Kristina Backenstose scored off a pass from senior midfielder Julie Gahman.
The Dragons then scored the backbreaking goal of the game with just one minute remaining as junior forward Caliann Bogovic scored the first of her two goals on an assist from Backenstose.
Bogovic put the game away in the second half with an unassisted goal with 19:55 remaining in the contest.
In her last action as a Terrier, Susan Harrington, who the week before was named to the All-Conference Second Team, stopped one shot.
On the other side, Drexel’s Katie Dougherty made four stops for the win.
The Terriers were hurt by injuries which forced sophomore midfielder Erin Burke-Webster and junior forward Whitney Peabody, who was also named to the All-Conference Second Team, to miss the game. Both Burke-Webster and Peabody had struggled with injuries earlier in the season and were unable to play in Saturday’s inclement weather.
A loss in the first round of the ECAC Championship is not how the Terriers wanted or envisioned their season ending, but with everyone except Harrington returning next year, they should have a good chance to improve on this year’s final results.