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BU loses to Dartmouth, 3-2

The Boston University field hockey team fell, 3-2, to Dartmouth College yesterday at MIT’s Jack Barry field. For the first time all season, the Terriers allowed their opponent to find the back of the net more than once, which, coupled with BU’s recent scoring slump, proved to be enough for the Big Green (3-2, 1-1 Ivy League) to beat the Terriers.

The game got off to an ominous start for BU (3-4, 0-0 America East) when Dartmouth forward Caitlyn Barrett scored a goal five minutes into the game. Barrett was the recipient of a well placed pass by forward Lauren Welsh, who leads the Big Green in points the season.

The Terriers evened the score eight minutes later when junior Dalinda Banuelos intercepted a pass and carried the ball down in front of the opposition’s net. Dartmouth was then whistled for a foul, and BU junior midfielder Celeste Hubbard scored her first of two goals in the game on a beautifully executed set piece by the Terriers.

The play in the first half was controlled by the Big Green, who passed around the flat BU team with ease. The halftime score of 1-1 could have easily been 3-1, and would have been if not for another stellar performance by senior goalkeeper Susan Harrington.

At halftime, BU coach Sally Starr addressed the team’s lack of intensity in the first half and stressed the importance of being more aggressive. Starr added that the key to overcoming such a poor half and beating the very physical Dartmouth team was to come out in the second half and go after the “50-50 balls” with more determination.

“[I told the team] to press and win the game from midfield,” Starr said.

The Terriers did just that, catching the Big Green on their heels and creating instant scoring chances with two corners in the first minute of play. BU, which played the first half in somewhat of a panic, came out calm and composed in the second half. With accurate passing and intense pressure up front from Hubbard and sophomore Kara Rossi, the Terriers turned the game around, grabbing a 2-1 lead with Hubbard’s second goal of the game, again on a set piece.

BU controlled the play for the next 20 minutes until Dartmouth started mounting its comeback. Harrington made several huge saves late in the second half, including a superb save on a one-on-one with 13 minutes left to play. The furious Dartmouth charge coupled with some sloppy Terrier defense led to the tying goal with 7:42 left to play. Sophomore Ashley Choren was left open in front of BU’s net and capitalized to knot the score at 2-2. Dartmouth took the lead for good with 4:40 left in the game when Welsh added her seventh goal of the season.

BU pressed hard in the last five minutes, yet failed to convert on its last few scoring chances. Starr commended the Terriers for their intensity in the closing minutes, yet still acknowledged her desire for the team to put forth that kind of effort for a whole game.

“If we play the whole game with the same intensity as the last five minutes, we win,” Starr said.

BU now turns its attention to Saturday, Sept. 28 when it faces No. 2 University of Michigan; this after last week’s game against No. 1 University of Maryland.

Before they leave for Michigan, Starr said the Terriers need to work on sustaining an attack and getting off shots every time they get within 25 yards of the goal.

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