Women’s Soccer: Terriers head to Worcester to take on Crusaders

By: Matt Doherty

The second half dominance for Boston University continued last Saturday afternoon when the Terriers knocked off the Lehigh Mountain Hawks 2-1 on the road in a pivotal Patriot League matchup.

Sophomore McKenna Doyle netted the game winning goal in the 89th minute to push the teams unbeaten streak to six games.

On Wednesday night, BU will look to extend that streak when they travel to in-state rival Holy Cross. The Terriers (5-10-1, 5-1 PL) currently sit second in the league standings with just three contests remaining.

Holy Cross on the other hand has struggled on the season. The Crusaders are 2-10-2 overall with a 1-3-2 league record that puts them ninth in the standings.

The team from Worcester lost last time out, a 1-0 road defeat to Lafayette. The lone league win for Holy Cross was a 2-1 overtime victory over Colgate. That win on October 8th marked their first victory in almost two months.

The achilleas heel for the Crusaders has been their defense, giving up over 2 goal per game, second worst in the conference. Meanwhile, the Terriers come into Wednesday’s matchup clicking on all cylinders on the offensive end. In their six match unbeaten streak, Nancy Feldman’s team has averaged almost two goals per game. The Terriers scored two goals in their first 10 games but have now scored 10 goals in their last six games.

The defense has also contributed to their winning ways, allowing three goals in the stretch including just one goal against in five Patriot League games. The back line of Rachel Blauner, Rachel Bloznalis, and Alivya Wimmer have played outstanding while serving as leaders for the young team.

With the Patriot League tournament looming, a win on Wednesday will go a long way for the Terriers to not only clinch a spot in the six team field but secure a first round bye with a top seed.

The game will also mark the first contest of the 2016-2017 Turnpike Trophy competition. The trophy is a year long athletic competition between Holy Cross and BU with all head to head matchups cumulating into a record. BU won in the inaugural trophy last year with a 20-4 advantage. That included a win for the women’s soccer team.

Kick off from Smith Soccer Stadium in Worcester is scheduled for 7 PM. The game can also be seen live on the Patriot League Network.