Women’s Soccer: Strong Navy squad headed to Nickerson

BOSTON, MA  –  On Friday, Boston University women’s soccer will return to Nickerson Field to take on visiting opponent Navy.

Undefeated in the Patriot League at 4-0 (7-3-3 overall), Navy comes in as the Terriers’ toughest conference opponent yet. Meanwhile, BU (4-7-2, 3-0-1 in Patriot League) is riding its own three-game winning streak and brimming with confidence.

The game will take place on Kick Out Cancer Night at Boston University. All ticket sales will be donated to the Ellie Fund, a non-profit organization that provides support for breast cancer patients and their families.

Both squads boast high-powered offenses that rank among the best in the conference. Navy leads the Patriot League in goals (18) while placing third in scoring average (1.385) and points per game (3.62). The Midshipmen are also an extremely aggressive squad, having committed the second-most fouls in the league with 129. They have scored multiple goals in their last four matches, and their attack will be intriguing to watch against a BU team that has not allowed a goal in 359 minutes.

For Navy, junior Baseley McClaskey has been electrifying. Her six conversions, four helpers, and 16 points are some of the highest totals in the conference.

On the Terrier side, sophomore Anna Heilferty was recognized for two outstanding performances with last week’s Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week. She has scored five goals and notched four assists, and her 40 shot attempts place second to only American University’s Yari Bradfield (45).

Lead by Heilferty, BU has come alive offensively since starting conference play. They have launched the second-most shots in the Patriot League, and are also second in shots on goal, third in corners, and fourth in assists. The defense has impressed as well, shutting out Lafayette in their last game while allowing no shots in the first half and only four in the entire contest.

BU’s competition in goal has been a developing storyline for most of the season. Sophomore Amanda Fay played all 90 minutes last Sunday, earning her first victory while only needing to save one attempt. Freshman Morgan Messner had played most of the two games prior, shutting out the opposition twice. Both keepers have been strong as of late, and it will be interesting to see how the two are used in Friday’s match.

Meanwhile for Navy, reigning Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year Sydney Fortson has regressed but still remains strong, saving 71.1 percent of shots faced. However, teams have scored five goals against her in the past four games.

Both sides look to be evenly matched in this pivotal battle between two of the Patriot League’s top programs. The game kicks off at 7 p.m.