Following a 14-7 loss to top-seeded Loyola University Maryland in the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament on Saturday, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team’s roller-coaster conference season ended without reaching its lofty preseason goal of an NCAA Tournament berth.
BU coach Liz Robertshaw said the Terriers (8-9, 5-3 Patriot League), who were plagued by inconsistencies all season long, failed to really show up in their semifinal matchup.
“If our leaders on the field don’t value the same things as the coaching staff, we will not win games,” Robertshaw said.
In the Terriers’ second season in the Patriot League, they made it to championship weekend of the conference tournament, falling to Loyola (14-4, 8-0 Patriot League), the tournament’s eventual winner.
The Terriers came into Saturday’s contest seeking their first three-game win streak of the 2015 season. However, Robertshaw said BU’s inconsistency and lack of reliable on-field leaders troubled the team once again.
“That’s actually something that we are doing right now as a coaching staff, looking at which players we can count on to step up,” Robertshaw said.
Although the Terriers wrapped up their Patriot League schedule and tournament play for the 2015 season, BU will travel down Commonwealth Avenue on Saturday to play rival Boston College in a non-league game.
Looking back on the season, Robertshaw indicated that the 2015 season has sparked a need for change in culture in the program.
“We need to continue to be a smart team, but be more of a worker team,” she said. “If you can combine that element of the game with smartness, you can be dangerous.”
In her ninth season at the helm of the Terriers, Robertshaw said she has tried to establish a culture of lacrosse intelligence at BU. In addition, Robertshaw stressed the importance of “hustle stats” as the best indicator of success during a game as she said draw controls, ground balls and turnover margin speak volumes to the character of a lacrosse team.
For a BU squad that was just a game under .500 this season, it was edged out by its opponents in all three of those categories. In addition, the Terriers failed to boast better goals for, goals against and clear percentage stats than their opponents.
The Terriers got the most out of their statistics this season, and the main reason was their ability to win close games, with a 3-1 record in two- or one-goal games.
Despite falling short of the team’s original expectations, BU had plenty of bright spots this season, highlighted by a four-goal comeback victory against Lafayette College on March 28 and a blowout win against rival Dartmouth College on March 4.
“I love the Dartmouth game. It is a bright spot, and I am definitely very proud of,” Robertshaw said. “The alumni were very impressed by that.”
Most recently, Robertshaw said the victory at Nickerson Field in the opening round of the Patriot League Tournament over Lehigh University really put a positive mark on the season.
“I think if we hadn’t won that game against Lehigh, we would be having a different conversation,” Robertshaw said. “We won hustle stats, and that was good to see.”
Robertshaw said winning the “hustle stats” will continue to be essential for BU going forward to ensure the greatest chance of success for the program.
“It is disappointing, and unfortunately as a team, we did not win. Culturally, that has to be the number one priority from the coaches to the players,” Robertshaw said.
The lack of on-field leaders potentially stemmed from the fact that there were only four regular senior starters, with only attack Lindsay Weiner playing a role offensively. Next season, BU’s senior class will be loaded with all-caliber talent, highlighted by midfielders Ally Adams and Jill Horka, with classmate attack Mallory Collins, who led the team with 38 goals this season, up top.
“Very strong junior class. [They] embody a lot of the characteristics that we are looking for,” Robertshaw said.
The talent was there for BU, which was shown in the All-Patriot League Team voting with Horka getting nominated to the first team. Collins, senior defender Siobhan McCarthy and sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Meegan all earned second-team awards.
Robertshaw said after Saturday’s loss that BU needs more than just talent to win games.
“I love smart players, but I think we need to spend more time on fundamentals and be more competitive in our approach,” Robertshaw said.
Bright individual performances highlighted the unpredictable year for the Terriers, emphasized by Horka, who broke the BU single-season draw control record, while finishing the season with eight goals in her last three games.
Maybe the biggest pleasant surprise for the Terriers this season was Meegan. The second-team All-Patriot League netminder improved her goals against average by 1.5 and got her save percentage up to .465.
“As a sophomore, she did not play as a sophomore,” Robertshaw said. “I couldn’t be more proud of her.”
Robertshaw said she will most remember the 2015 Terriers for their on-and-off-field accomplishments.
“I will remember the players. They are great kids,” Robertshaw said. “They are great representatives of this university. They work hard to find success on and off the field.”
