Women’s Soccer: Terriers look to build off tie in second Patriot League match

By: Akshai Wadhwani

BOSTON, MA  –  With all cards laid out on the table, BU women’s soccer appears poised to finally hit top gear in conference play on Saturday.

The Terriers (1-7-2) will host Lehigh, a team they have never lost to in five meetings. The Scarlet and White hold a 9-2 scoring advantage in the series, and will be coming up against a Mountain Hawk side that has lost three of four matches—with eight goals conceded—on the road this season.

Lehigh is also the lowest-scoring side in the Patriot League, finding net just five times in eight games (the Terriers, in fact, haven’t fared too much better—eight goals scored in ten games).

BU demonstrated their ability to immediately rebound from large defeats in last week’s fixtures. After taking their heaviest loss since 2015 via a 4-0 battering at West Virginia, the Terriers immediately recovered with a well-fought 1-1 draw in their opening Patriot League match against American on Sunday. Now, after almost a week’s worth of rest, the Scarlet and White look primed to continue the gradation of form.

Sophomore and 2017 Patriot League Rookie of the Year Anna Heilferty continues to lead the points table with three goals and two assists to her name, including the game-tying goal against American last weekend.

McKenna Doyle—a welcome return to the lineup against American after missing several contests with a concussion—follows with a goal and an assist, and her fellow senior Chelsea Churchill lends two helpers; freshman Lauren Adelman, junior Chloee Sagmoe, and seniors Royce Light and Kelly Harris have all provided additional goals for the Terriers.

Sophomore Amanda Fay and freshman Morgan Messner have combined for 38 saves, with junior Emma Heil offering an additional stop in just under 12 minutes of playing time.

Lehigh (3-5), meanwhile, is led by junior Kayla Arestivo (2 goals, 1 assist) and freshman Courtney Supp (1 goal, 1 assist). Maggie Wadsworth owns a team-high 20 shots and has contributed a helper to the offensive numbers.

Sophomore goalkeeper Miranda Royds has started all eight matches for the Mountain Hawks, with 25 saves under her belt—including three in her team’s 1-0 loss to Army last time out.

Kickoff on Alumni/Youth Day at Nickerson Field is set for 4 p.m.