In the final non-conference game of the regular season, the Boston University women’s soccer team fell to Dartmouth College 2–1 Wednesday night in Hanover, N.H.
With the loss, the Terriers fall to 11–6–1 on the season while the Big Green improve to 10–4–0.
In the first half, the Terriers started off well, as junior forward Madison Clemens scored her eighth goal of the season after a great pass from senior defender Jessica Morrow, giving BU a 1–0 lead.
“We started the game really well,” said BU coach Nancy Feldman. “The style was favoring us … We were putting them under a lot of pressure.”
Clemens has been the top player on the Terriers’ offense this season, leading the team in shots, points and goals.
While she does not have a single assist on the season, Clemens leads the team in goals by four after scoring her first goal since Oct. 7 on Wednesday.
As for Morrow, the assist was her fourth of the season, which leads BU defenders.
Unfortunately for the Terriers, Dartmouth answered back just 10 minutes after Clemens goal, when forward Libby Hamlin beat BU junior goalkeeper Andrea Green and tied the game up, 1–1.
As the first half ended, the Terriers and Big Green were tied with three shots apiece and the teams were relatively even.
However, the second half was not so kind to the Terriers. Dartmouth outshot BU, 7–2, in the second half and the Big Green took control of the game.
“In the second half, we really lost our way,” Feldman said. “We really didn’t keep the ball well, we got into playing their game and we got into chasing and never really had control of the game in the second half like I thought we did for the majority of the first half.
“That was really the difference, not being really able to sustain that, it’s something that we need to work on.”
Dartmouth came close to taking the lead in the 63rd minute when defender Aurelia Solomon lined up for a free kick.
Solomon’s drive squeaked just over Green’s crossbar and left the score tied, giving the Terriers a chance to come back.
The Big Green had more chances though, as midfielder Chrissy Lozier and Solomon both had chances at goal.
The BU defense was there both times though to clear the ball from danger and keep the score even as the game approached the end of regulation.
The score remained tied until the 87th minute, when Dartmouth midfielder Kendall Kraus found the back of the net for the Big Green, giving Dartmouth a 2–1 lead. Despite a shot on net by BU freshman midfielder Rachel Blauner in the final minutes of the game, Dartmouth held on to secure the victory.
“I’m disappointed and I think [the team is] disappointed,” Feldman said. “Dartmouth is a very good team … It’s a team that is an NCAA-caliber team, and we really wanted to prove that we were an NCAA-caliber team and we didn’t quite prove it tonight.”
The Terriers struggled to muster up shots in the game, recording five total shots, only two of which were on goal.
No individual player had more than a single shot in the game. The Terriers’ bench players outshot the starters 3–2.
Boston University will finish up its regular season at home on Sunday against the University of New Hampshire.
With a win, the Terriers would win their 32nd consecutive America East game and win the America East Regular Season title.
“We really want to finish the season and conference schedule with a win,” Feldman said. “We want to be the number-one team in the league at the end of the season without sharing it. It’s a goal we’ve had.
“That’s the way we want to finish on Senior Day, we want to send Jess Morrow and Brea Hewitt off feeling good about their last game on Nickerson Field.”
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