Field Hockey: Terriers look to bounce back against Lehigh University on Saturday

By: Jose Rodriguez

After a heartbreaking 2-1 double overtime loss to Bucknell University this past Friday afternoon on Oct. 20, Boston University (3-4, 0-1 PL) is aiming to bounce back as they prepare to face off against Lehigh University (4-3,1-0 PL) at New Balance Field this Saturday afternoon.

Both teams recently completed their first Patriot League Conference game of the season this past weekend. Lehigh triumphed over Colgate University with a 5-1 victory at Ulrich Field in Bethlehem, Pa.

Payton Anderson, the senior captain from Christchurch, New Zealand, has been a standout player for the Terriers. Despite the team’s recent 2-1 double overtime loss, Anderson managed to score the only goal. She scored at least one goal in the last three games and found the back of the net in four of the previous five games. She even had a multi-goal game against UMass Amherst on Sept. 13, although BU ultimately suffered a 5-3 defeat.

Graduate student Kate Thomason (Wellington, New Zealand) is the dedicated goalie for the Terrier team. She has showcased her skills in six out of seven games, starting in five of them. She has made 32 saves out of 47 shots throughout these games, resulting in a commendable .681 save percentage. She is 2-3 in the season so far for BU.

Senior Jenny Canoni (Bronxville, N.Y.) started all seven games behind the net for Lehigh. She saved 33 out of 49 attempts, which is good for a .673 save percentage. She is 4-3 so far this season.

A fifth-year graduate student, Julia Gatelein (Haddon Heights, New Jersey), has been recognized as the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week for the Mountain Hawks. This past weekend, she had an outstanding performance, scoring two goals to open the Patriot League Conference. Before the season, she was named to the preseason All-Patriot League team. Gatelein has scored in the previous three games, marking the longest goal-scoring streak of her career.

The Terriers have an 8-4 record against Lehigh dating back to Oct. 12, 2013. While BU dominated the first six meetings, the tides turned in the last six games, with the Mountain Hawks winning four of them. This will be the first meeting since Sept. 22 of last year, when Lehigh defeated the Terriers 1-0. This sets the stage for an exciting matchup this Saturday at 1 p.m., exclusively broadcast on ESPN+.