Women’s Soccer: Terriers draw 1-1 against Navy, remain unbeaten in Patriot League play

Photo by Holly Gustavsen

By Samantha Genzer

Boston University Women’s Soccer (2-7-4, 2-0-2 PL) drew 1-1 to Patriot League opponent Naval Academy (8-6-1, 2-1-1 PL) on Saturday afternoon at Nickerson Field.

The Terriers started strong, determined to bounce back after a tough road loss to the Yale Bulldogs on Tuesday.

Dominating possession early, BU took the lead in the 32nd minute when freshman forward Jaiden Schultz netted her first goal of the season. Schultz finished into the top left corner after receiving a pass from freshman forward Juliana Osterman, putting BU up 1-0.

“[Schultz] is a really talented player,” BU head coach Casey Brown said. “To see her finish today, it’s massive for her. Great for the team, and hopefully something to really build on.”

However, the Navy Midshipmen quickly responded. In the 35th minute, Navy’s Isabella Romano equalized with a well-placed shot off an assist from Chiara Cosenza, tying the score at 1-1.

Despite the setback, BU continued to push for the lead. In the 41st minute, sophomore forward Ava Maguire fired a shot that went wide. Moments later, junior midfielder Giulianna Gianino saw her shot blocked by the Navy defense.

“We created dangerous opportunities, and that’s what I continue to look at and just kind of keep building on that,” Brown said.

After halftime, BU returned to the field with renewed energy and determination, but it was the Midshipmen who dominated in shot attempts.

Navy’s Amanda Graziano started the second half with a shot in the 46th minute that sailed over the crossbar.

BU responded quickly, with junior forward Margy Porta forcing a save from Navy goalkeeper Natasha Stramrood in the 50th minute. Gianino had another chance in the 54th minute, but her shot went wide, keeping the score level.

Navy then saw two more opportunities, with Marlee Heaven shooting high in the 61st minute and Hannah Mulholland missing the target in the 68th.

Both teams traded chances as the game progressed. In the 73rd minute, Navy’s Mackenzie Morrow forced BU’s freshman goalkeeper Bridget Carr into a crucial save. Minutes later, Cosenza nearly gave Navy the lead, hitting the post in the 79th minute.

Despite last-minute efforts from both sides, including a wide shot from Cosenza in the 88th minute, neither team was able to find the back of the net again.

“[Navy] was a little bit more dangerous in the second [half], but … we kept them mostly quiet,” Brown said. “We want to be able to do more with the opportunities we did create from corners … so good things to build off of.”

Both teams continued to battle fiercely through the final minutes, with each side having chances to take the lead. However, neither team could convert their opportunities, and the match ended in a draw.

“It’s important to take a point in these kind of matchups and think for us to stay undefeated in Patriot [League] play is big right now, so we’ll take the point and build on it from here,” Brown said.

With this result, the Terriers improved to 2-0-1 in Patriot League play, a positive outcome as they continue to seek consistency in their performance.

The Terriers look to build on this momentum, as they head to Pennsylvania for another Patriot League match against Lafayette College on Oct. 12 with kickoff set for 1 p.m.