No. 12 Terriers Fall Short in 3-2 Loss to No. 5 Connecticut
BU holds advantages in shots and corners
Junior Ella Gunson scored her first goal as a Terrier.

Junior Ella Gunson scored her first goal as a Terrier.

Sept. 30, 2012

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ALLSTON, Mass. - Despite holding advantages in both shots and corners, the No. 12 Boston University field hockey team came up just short in its attempt to hand No. 5 Connecticut its first loss of the season on Sunday evening, as the Huskies escaped with a 3-2 win at Jordan Field.

Juniors Ella Gunson and Madeleine Hackett each scored a goal for the Terriers, who fall to 7-4. UConn improves to 11-0.

BU outshot the Huskies, 14-12, and earned eight corners while allowing six. Senior Jess Maroney (4) and sophomore Valentina Cerda Eimbcke (2) combined to make six saves in goal for the Terriers while Sarah Mansfield had a seven-save performance for the visitors.

"Other than the game result, I'm really pleased with how we competed," said head coach Sally Starr. "We had the legs, we had the opportunities and we held an outstanding attacking team to just two corners in the second half."

UConn took a 2-0 lead into the half on goals from Louisa Buddy and Hayley Hoge in the sixth and 31st minutes, respectively. BU's best chance in the opening half came when senior Nicole van Oosterom struck the right post on a shot off a corner.

Gunson cut the deficit in half when she notched her first goal as a Terrier at the 43:01 mark. Freshman Rachel Coll earned an assist on a play with a centering pass from the left side after receiving the ball from senior Tabi Hatch.


 

 

The Huskies regained a two-goal cushion when Chloe Hunnable drilled a high reverse-stick drive from the top-left of the circle that went off Maroney's blocker and into the goal at 57:35.

BU got right back into the game less than four minutes later when Hackett, from the ground, poked in a rebound by the left post after a shot by senior Macey Gaumond was saved.

The Terriers continued to pressure the Husky defense for the remainder of regulation while in search of an equalizer, earning six penalty corners in the final seven minutes, but were unsuccessful. A late corner shot by senior Jacinda McLeod was saved by Mansfield before clanging off the left post.

"We outplayed them in the second half and did a great job of keeping the ball in the attacking end," added Starr. "We've shown that we can play with anybody, but we need to beat top teams to have a chance at the NCAAs. Hopefully this effort helps build confidence down the stretch."

BU will return to action on Saturday (Oct. 6) when it heads north to face Vermont for a noon contest.