Field Hockey: Terriers fall in last regular season game 2-1 to Cornell

By Mel Mastela

For their final regular season game, the Boston University Terriers (6-9, 3-3 PL) took a 2-1 loss against Cornell University Big Red (7-9, 3-3 IL) at home on Nov. 3.

The Big Red came in swinging offensively, rarely allowing the Terriers to gain possession of the ball or bring it past the fifty.

After a long battle in their opponent’s zone, Tess Csejka found an open spot to race the ball down the field and into the net, giving a 1-0 lead to BU eleven minutes in.

Cornell forward Uma Käding was able to respond at the end of the first, beating goaltender Kate Thomason to get her team on the board.

The Terriers continued their strong offensive power in the second frame but struggled to find shots on goal.

With just a minute left in the first half, Käding stole the ball on a turnover and beat Thomason for her second of the night to give the Big Red a 2-1 advantage at the half.

“That second one… it hurt for sure,” Coach Sally Starr said. “But again, it did not demoralize us at all, if anything we just kept working hard…we created opportunities, we created corners, even to the very last minute of the game.”

The BU offense was determined to find the game-tying goal in the third quarter.

Pressing on Cornell, the Terriers found spots to fire shots on goal, but they could not beat goaltender Martha Broderick.

Although willpower increased, strong defensive power from both teams created a ton of tension and a scoreless third period.

Entering the last stretch, BU came in with a final last-ditch effort to end the regular season in the win column.

As the clock was running out, Thomason was pulled for an extra attacker, but Cornell’s defense remained solid, ending the Terrier’s regular season with a 2-1 loss.

“I think we have a lot of takeaways today to give us that confidence and belief that the Patriot League Championship is in our grasp,” Starr said. “The things that we did today I think really helped us to feel that type of belief and confidence.”

BU will face off against the American University Eagles in Washington, D.C. for the Patriot League Semifinal. The contest is set for Nov. 7 at 11 a.m., with streaming will be available on ESPN+.