Cusick, Carney Spark Terriers to 4-1 Win Over Towson
September 22, 2000 | Field Hockey
BOSTON, MA -- Senior forward Kate Cusick (Allentown, PA) scored a pair of goals four minutes apart in the second half and junior midfielder Kerry Carney (Yorktown Heights, NY) added three assists as the Boston University field hockey team defeated Towson, 4-1 at Nickerson Field on September 22. The Terriers are now 5-2, 2-0 in America East. Towson falls to 3-7, 0-1.
The Terriers dominated play in the first half, but it was Towson that led, 1-0 at the break on sophomore forward Jessie Buchheim's goal 6:44 into the game. Tiger goalkeeper Betsy Crossman, who was spectacular throughout the game, had nine saves in the first half alone as B.U. pressed the attack with give-and-go's and excellent stick-handling.
"We did everything right but score in the first half," head coach Sally Starr said. "(Crossman) was more than capable of handling our shots in the first half. You had to score great goals against her."
Cusick finally got the Terriers on the board 15:23 into the second half, redirecting a hard pass from Carney over Crossman to tie the score at 1-1. The duo connected again four minutes later to give B.U. the lead for good, 2-1.
"Cusick is a senior, she's a leader and she wants our team to have a very special year this year," said Starr. "The first goal she scored was just a great goal."
With the Terriers continuing to press, junior Rachael Stillings (Escondido, CA) scored her first goal of the season on a penalty corner less than two minutes later. Robyn Kenney earned an assist along with Carney, her third of the game.
Sophomore midfielder Christina Strauss (Newburyport, MA) closed out the scoring, putting home a shot off a scramble in front of the cage with 9:14 left.
Boston University had 13 penalty corners in the game, Towson had two.
"We played an excellent hockey game," said Starr.
Boston University faces the University of Delaware Sunday, September 24 at 1 p.m. at Nickerson Field.
Game Notes:Starr made two key positional changes in the first half that really affected the outcome of the game. She moved junior forward Jane Rogers to right inner at forward while giving Robyn Kenney a defensive assignment to stem Towson's momentum from its' early goal.
"We moved Jane to a different position and got the ball in her hands a lot more and really created a lot of exciting attacks," said Starr. "It really helped the lineup moving her to that position. We moved Robyn and that switch really helped to stop their offense."
Freshman forward Whitney Peabody (Hamilton, MA), who was celebrating her birthday, got into the game in the second half and made an immediate impact. She blistered a shot just off Crossman's pad at the near post in one sequence, and later sent a beautiful crossing pass that Kelly Clothier redirected over the cage.
Towson (3-7) 1 0 - 1 Boston University (5-2) 0 4 - 4 Scoring Summary First Half: (T) Jessie Buchheim (unassisted), 6:44. Second Half: (BU) Kate Cusick (Kerry Carney), 15:23 (BU) Cusick (Carney), 18:25 (BU) Rachael Stillings (Carney, Robyn Kenney), 21:08; (BU) Christina Strauss (unassisted), 25:46. Shots on Goal: BU 38, Towson 7 Penalty Corners: BU 13, Towson 52 Goalkeeper Saves:BU (Harrington 2), Towson (Crossman 13).
