The Boston University field hockey team played its second home game in a row on Friday against Northeastern University at New Balance Field. Going into the match, the Terriers were looking to build off a two-game win streak.
A big reason for the Terriers’ recent success has been their defense, as the Terriers (4-4, 1-0 Patriot League) currently rank third in the Patriot League in goals-against average at 1.85.
Much like their most recent game against Yale University on Sept. 21, the Terriers showed off their defensive talents in the first half against the Huskies (7-2). From the start of the game, the Terriers pressured every Northeastern possession, with BU only allowing three Northeastern shots and two penalty corners in the first half.
Each of the Huskies’ shots was met by a save by senior goalkeeper Valentina Cerda Eimbcke. The Terriers ended the first half at a 0-0 gridlock, making it seem as though the game would have been an all-out defensive battle. Then came the second half.
“We totally lost our composure in the second half,” said BU coach Sally Starr. “We allowed the officiating to get to us. I think we had to realize that was the way they were calling the game.”
The Terriers went the entire first half without any of the players picking up a card. However, by the end of the game, four cards were handed out to members of the team.
Sophomore midfielder Hester van der Laan received the first card of the game when she picked up a green card in the 49th minute. Later, both junior forward/midfielder Sofi Laurito and sophomore forward Taylor Blood received yellow cards in the 56th and 57th minute, respectively. However, the most serious infraction came in the 68th minute when Laurito picked up a red card.
“Sofi’s [Laurito] second card should have absolutely been a yellow,” Starr said. “The official thought she said one thing, Sofi felt like she just said ‘you’re a joke’… my understanding is that when you get a red, you can’t get play the next game.”
However, the penalties are not the only thing that hurt the Terriers.
“Again, even with all that [the penalties], we just lost our composure,” Starr said. “We stopped playing smart. We talked about doing things at half time that we didn’t do in the second half.”
Boston University now goes on the road to play against Bucknell University (5-2, 1-0 Patriot League), where they will play without Laurito, the team’s second leading scorer.
Alexander mainly covers field hockey for the Daily Free Press. On his days off, he catches up on playing basketball and soccer and cheers on the New York Giants, Knicks, and Yankees. He previously interned at the office of U.S. Senator Edward Markey.
