After concluding one of the most grueling pre-conference schedules in the nation, the Boston University women’s lacrosse team (3-2) is ready to begin America East competition.
Still without a home field, the Terriers will play Drexel University today at Boston College’s Alumni Field. BU will continue to practice and play away from Nickerson Field, due to renovations, probably until April 18 against the University of Connecticut.
BU was forced to practice in the gym today. The Terriers may get to begin practicing at Nickerson by April 11. BU coach Sue Murphy is optimistic despite not having a place to call home.
“I think our preparation is good,” Murphy said. “I think we’re going to come out strong. The conference picked us to finish first again. [Senior attacker] Chrissy [Lombard] was [America East] Player of the Week. We’re back to having good things happen.
“But [Boston College] is a field we haven’t played on for two years, so we’re going a little early to get a feel for it.”
The Terriers were picked to repeat as conference champions this year, receiving five of seven possible votes. This is in part because BU went a perfect 6-0 in America East last year and set a team record for wins in a season with 15. The Terriers also have five preseason All-American selections on the squad. The only other school receiving first-place votes was the University of Delaware.
Lombard, the Terriers’ all-time leading scorer with 187 points, was named America East Player of the Week for the week of March 21. She has scored at least two goals in every game this season, including six goals against Ohio State University and three goals in a come-from-behind win against Temple University. She was named player of the week three times last year.
Murphy had nothing but praise for the two-time America East Player of the Year.
“She had an outstanding opening to the season,” Murphy said. “She has taken on a very good midfield type of roll for us.”
The Terriers have also played most of the season without junior midfielder Kristin Abruzzese. She will more than likely suit up for today’s game but Murphy will probably use her sparingly. Junior attacker Katie Nordhoff should return to full strength after nursing an injured patella.
“[Abruzzese playing] tomorrow is iffy,” Murphy said. “We might as well wait the full two weeks. Katie looks like she’ll be ready [today], and I’m ready to have her back.”
Overall, Murphy said the only real concern she has is the academic pressures facing the team as a result of all the scheduling changes. She said the team has adapted well to the adversity.
“We learned a lot from [Wednesday’s] loss to Dartmouth [College],” Murphy said. “The only concern I have is the academic pressures on the girls. I told them today that this really is the toughest part of the season. We’re practicing and playing off site. At least the next segment we’ll at least have a field to practice on. … These girls are tough.”
This is an account occasionally used by the Daily Free Press editors to post archived posts from previous iterations of the site or otherwise for special circumstance publications. See authorship info on the byline at the top of the page.
