Field Hockey: 10/20 Weekend Preview
By Devora Slonim
Boston University Field Hockey (7-7, 2-2 PL) is heading to New York for a pair of games this weekend. The Terriers will take on the Colgate Raiders (3-10, 0-4 PL) for their penultimate conference game of the season on Friday. BU will then take on Ivy League competitor Cornell (10-3, 4-1 Ivy) on Sunday.
Game 1: BU v. Colgate – Oct. 20 at 4 p.m.
Coming off a stinging 7-0 loss against Harvard University, the Terriers are hoping to turn things around for this crucial Patriot League matchup.
Despite Colgate’s record, BU needs to be sharp this weekend as this contest has massive implications with the playoffs right around the corner.
Projected to start in net for the Terriers is senior goalkeeper Kate Thomason. Thomason has excelled this season, holding a 0.689 save percentage. Likely to start opposite her is Raiders sophomore goalie Claire van Kempen.
BU’s senior midfielder Thalia Steenssens and sophomore forward Caroline O’Brien are expected to have a big game. Steenssens leads BU in points, while O’Brien’s presence on the field never goes unnoticed. O’Brien leads the team in goals, and the Terriers look to her for the push to the playoffs.
Game 2: BU v. Cornell – Oct. 22 at 2 p.m.
The Terriers have their work cut out for them as they face off against yet another Ivy League competitor.
The Big Red are a dominant presence, recently defeating UPenn for the second seed in the Ivy League and clinching a playoff berth in the process.
Currently on a five-game win streak, Cornell will likely come out strong offensively.
The Big Red are led by senior defensive midfielder Caroline Ramsey, who has 46 points so far this season and leads the Ivy League in shots and goals.
Freshman goalkeeper Martha Broderick has been outstanding in goal, averaging a 0.695 save percentage.
Ramsey and Broderick were recently named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively. So far this season, the pair share six awards between them.
To prevent a takeover, the Terriers must come out strong offensively. The team will look to leaders Steenssens, O’Brien and Thomason to push for a win.
Reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, junior fullback Payton Anderson will be critical for BU’s defense against the high-scoring Cornell team.
The Terriers will look to sweep their weekend set of games. The first test will be at 4 p.m. in Hamilton, N.Y., with streaming for both games available on ESPN+.