Women’s Soccer: Terriers Bring Title Back to Title Town with Penalty Kicks Win Over Bucknell

By Ryan Abazari

In a final for the ages, the Boston University women’s soccer team is Patriot League champions once again. The Terriers went on the road to defeat a Bucknell team that was looking to not only complete the double with a regular-season crown but also win their fourth straight PL title.

“I mean, it means everything. We’re bringing some hardware back to Boston, where it belongs, and we’re excited about it,” said Assistant Coach Megan Burke.

In a rematch of the 2021 Patriots League final, BU (7-7-6, 5-0-4 PL) looked to keep their miracle season alive and win their first title since 2018 against the Patriots League powerhouse that is Bucknell (12-6-2, 7-2-0 PL). Two teams that have won nine of the past 11 championships, commenced battle again on Sunday afternoon as the top two seeds in the regular season both found their way to the championship.

Having met earlier this year, which resulted in a close 1-0 win for the Terriers, it showcased that there wasn’t much separation between these two teams then and that would remain the case tonight, with chances coming few and far between.

The first chance of the game for the Terriers came only ten minutes in, as from a Terrier corner, the ball bounced around and eventually fell to Morgan Weaver who was able to put in a lobbed shot that forced All-League goalkeeper Jess Benattar into action, making an incredible diving stop.

Bucknell had only conceded a single goal in their last eight patriots league playoff games, and even that was a garbage time goal while up 3-0 to the Terriers last year, so BU had their work cut out for them on trying to break down this Bison back line.

Only five minutes after the Terrier’s opening chance of the game, the Bison had their own attempt off another corner. The ball was headed down to Bucknell senior Reese Evans, whose first-time shot was brilliantly parried by Bridget Carr keeping the game even.

The largest scare of the game for the Terriers came in the 30th minute, as Helene Tyburczy was caught in possession by sophomore midfielder Riley Hayes for Bucknell, who picked Tyburczy’s pocket and broke towards goal with just the keeper to beat. Hayes ended up dribbling around the on-rushing Carr, who ended up lunging and missing the ball entirely, taking Hayes out right on the edge of the penalty box. Despite the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity, the referee decided only to give Carr a yellow, despite the cries of the home fans, the eventual free kick was wasted allowing the Terriers to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

The mistakes for the Terriers continued when in the 42nd minute an errant backpass from Olivia Avellar ended up falling right to Kalli Wethern, who when faced with a golden opportunity in front of the net was unable to capitalize putting it out for a goal kick.

The deadlock had to eventually be broken, and the home team had to be the ones to do it. In the 67th minute,.Bucknell took a free kick in their half, and after Weaver was unable to control it, the ball fell to Sydney Hess just outside of the penalty box and her looping attempt was just able to make it over the head of the diving Carr for the opening goal.

With the lead now established and only 20 minutes left until a fourth consecutive Patriot League crown, the Bisons attempted to see the game out, and after a few weak attempts, all hope for the Terriers looked lost.

That was until the 86th minute when Weaver of all people, picked up a clearance, and in a play that will surely go down in the annals of Terrier history, played what could be debated as a shot or a cross, that just cleared the fingertips of a full-stretch Benattar and went in off the post.

When asked about the play, the goalscorer herself, Weaver, said, “I know I’m a defender and usually supposed to cross it, but it was a shot. I didn’t know where it was gonna end up, but thought I should take it,”

So with only four minutes to go in regulation, the Terriers were able to send the championship into overtime.

The sudden-death periods provided little action from either side, as both sides knew the risks of their season ending on a singular goal.

So with penalties approaching the Terriers made the shocking call to substitute the steady-handed starter Bridget Carr, for the benched senior goalkeeper Celia Braun. Braun, who had started the season for the Terriers, was replaced at the start of Patriots League play for the freshman Carr, and Braun had not played a minute for the Terriers for the past two months.

When asked about the pressure faced, Braun said “I’ll be honest, it wasn’t the easiest situation, but I mean I’ll do it any day for [my teammates], any day,”

But when thrust into the limelight she delivered, and after a save and Bucknell miss, the Terriers had back-to-back penalty chances to win and ended up missing both to add to the drama. So when the shootout went to sudden death, Braun came out ready, and after guessing correctly and missing on penalties six and seven she would save the eighth penalty taken by the Bison giving the Terriers an 8-7 win on PKs, and the Patriot League crown.

With the win, the Terriers clinched their first title since 2018, their fifth overall, and an automatic bid into the 2024 NCAA D1 Women’s soccer championship, where they will learn of their opponent on November 11th, at 4 p.m. ET.