The Boston University field hockey team headed to Providence, Rhode Island Wednesday, picking up a 2-1 win against Providence College.
With the victory, the Terriers (6-5, 1-1 Patriot League) are on a two-game winning streak. The first of the two wins was a historic win against Harvard University at New Balance Field, as it gave BU head coach Sally Starr her 400th win with the team.
“It was a hard fought win,” Starr said. “Providence is having a great season, one of their best seasons in a while. It wasn’t easy.”
Wednesday also served as the first game back for junior midfielder Sofi Laurito, after serving her suspension against Bucknell University for picking up a red card in a contest with Northeastern University on Sept. 26.
NCAA rules dictate that if a player picks up a red card, that player must miss the next match. However, Starr benched Laurito for the Harvard game as well in order to emphasize the importance of discipline for her team. In Starr’s eyes, Laurito proved that she was ready to play Wednesday.
“Sofi really maintained her fitness throughout the week,” Starr said. “She asked for extra workouts. It’s good to have her back.”
Laurito helped BU get on the board early. In the 16th minute, she assisted freshman midfielder Kali Shumock off a penalty corner to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
“[Sofi] definitely played well,” Starr said. “It wasn’t just the assist…Providence has a quick attack, and putting Sofi in the middle of the field really disrupted their gameplay.”
Both teams ended the first half with two shots apiece, and BU scored off the only penalty corner of the frame. When the second half commenced, the Terriers struck early once again. In the 42nd minute, sophomore forward Amanda Cassera assisted junior defender Rachel Coll on another penalty corner, pushing BU’s advantage to 2-0.
However, the Friars (8-5) did not stop its attack. They outshot the Terriers 8-2 in the second half, totaling 10 versus BU’s four. Providence also picked up five penalty corners in the second half, while the Terriers were only awarded two.
In the 65th minute, midfielder Emma Mackie scored for Providence off a penalty corner assist from senior Steph Guglielmo, cutting the Terrier lead to 2-1.
“The defense definitely got better,” Starr said. “But we need to look at the corners. We gave up too many and as a result allowed them to score.”
In the end, the Terriers were able to hold on for a key non-conference victory and their third road win of the season.
“We are really focusing on continuing to improve and move forward,” Starr said. “Today wasn’t a masterpiece, but we moved forward. We have a huge conference game coming up at home. Only four teams make the conference tournament, and we need the win.”
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.
