Despite what BU coach Sally Starr called one of the team’s best performances so far, the No. 19 Boston University field hockey team lost its home opener to No. 10 Boston College in overtime, 4-3, on Saturday, before dropping its game Sunday at Northeastern University by the same score.
The Terriers (1-4) gave the Eagles (5-0) their closest game yet, but were unable to hand them their first loss of the year. BC senior Chelsey Feole opened the scoring just 2:03 into the game from the center of the circle. BC junior Janna Anctil scored shortly afterward, putting BU in an early 2-0 hole.
However, the Terriers rallied back, starting with a goal from sophomore forward Giovanna Monaco at 22:28. Junior Maryette Stuart pulled BU into a tie minutes later with a well-executed penalty stroke that sailed out of BC goaltender Kristine Stigas’ reach and into the net. The BU defense and junior goaltender Amanda Smith withstood a strong offensive push by BC in the final minute of the half to preserve the tie.
BU’s momentum carried into the second half, as junior Allie Dolce knocked a rebound into the net off of a corner play to give the Terriers the lead. Despite a number of scoring opportunities and corners for BU in the next couple minutes, BC scored next following a series of chances produced from a corner. The goal did not necessarily take BU out of the game, as the team continued to battle and produce as many quality scoring chances as their opponents did, actually outshooting BC, 9-6, in the second half, but they were unable to capitalize on any of those chances.
After a series of corners about five minutes into overtime, Feole again scored from the top of the circle, completing her second career hat trick and securing the Eagles’ victory. BU’s performance was certainly a respectable one, since BC has won all of its other games by a margin of at least three goals, and Starr said she still does not feel that the team’s record reflects how well it has been playing.
‘I thought we moved the ball well today,’ Starr said. ‘We could have improved on our individual defense, especially in the left-hand corner, where a lot of plays that led to corners occurred, but overall, I’m pleased. When I called timeout [after BC’s second goal], I told them I wanted a goal in five minutes, then another goal in the next 15 minutes after that, and that’s what happened.’
The Terriers were forced to play without freshman defender Jacinda McLeod, whom Starr called the ‘quarterback of our defense’ and an important part of BU’s corner plays. McLeod received a red card during last Sunday’s game against Iowa for failing to wear a mouth guard, and consequently was not allowed to play in Saturday’s game.
McLeod returned Sunday against Northeastern (3-2), but her presence was not quite enough to lift the Terriers to victory. Senior Nikki Lloyd and Dolce both contributed goals, as did redshirt freshman Rachael White, but a defensive error by BU in the final 1:15 of the game allowed Northeastern a corner. The Huskies scored on that corner attempt to break a long-standing 3-3 tie and walk away with the victory.
‘We’re giving up bad goals,’ Starr said. ‘I’d say about 80 percent of the goals scored against us have not been the result of other teams making good plays, but of breakdowns on our part.
‘The most important part, though, is to not get discouraged. We’re a young team, a strong team and we’re just a little snake-bitten right now.’
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