Women’s Soccer Squares Off Against BC
Round one of NCAA tournament
After an “amazing cap” to the 2010 season—the 4-0 win over Maine for the America East championship—coach Nancy Feldman and her women’s soccer Terriers will face the BC Eagles in the first round of the NCAA tournament this afternoon at BC.
Boston College, ranked 16th, is a familiar NCAA tournament foe for the 17th-ranked Terriers, who have gone up against the Eagles twice in six tournament appearances. The Terriers posted a 1-0 loss to the “other” Comm Ave team once earlier this season.
Playing a local team helps the Terriers prepare, says Feldman. “The beauty of the matchup is the proximity. It will help us stay consistent in our preparation for the game, and we can go over and practice on their field prior to the match.”
Because this is the BU team’s sixth straight NCAA tournament appearance, juniors and seniors are armed with advice for their standout freshmen. “The coaches are definitely giving the younger players a sense of what to expect, but we know there is much more encouragement between players we don’t necessarily see,” says Feldman. “Little things, like senior Shauna Kelleher telling freshmen Kylie Strom how to bring a little more intensity for a tournament game, or our other seniors telling the freshmen not to get awed or overwhelmed at playing in this situation, just to bring your best.”
In addition to winning the America East championship, the team has scored another impressive achievement this season: the second longest shutout streak in NCAA history (1,187.02 minutes). The Terrier goaltending duo of Kelly King (CAS’14) and Alice Binns (SAR’12) has given up only 10 goals in 21 games. King was named 2010 America East Rookie of the Year, and Binns took Goalkeeper of the Year. Lisa Kevorkian (COM’12) led the conference in points with 35, earning eighth place overall in the nation.
The team’s goal all season has been to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament, something they haven’t accomplished since 2005, when they went head-to-head with BC. If the Terriers win today, they will face either UConn or Hofstra in the second round of the tournament on Sunday.
Whether or not they accomplish that goal, Feldman says, she is proud of her squad and their season. “Every year is a new challenge with new players, and I’m happy for this particular group. Their hard work in the preseason and in the regular season has paid off.”
The BU women’s soccer team will play Boston College at the BC Newton Campus Soccer Field on Friday, November 12, at 4 p.m. Tickets are $3 for students and $7 for general admission. The winner will face the winner of Friday’s UConn-Hofstra matchup on Sunday at the same location.
Kat Hasenauer Cornetta can be reached at katcorn@bu.edu.
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