Shulman Named League's Rookie of the Week
October 16, 2001 | Women's Soccer
Terrier freshman Melissa Shulman, who scored both goals in the Terriers' 2-1 overtime come-from-behind win against the University of Maine on Sunday (October 14th) has been named the America East Rookie of the Week.
The victory improved B.U.'s overall record to 8-4-1 and 6-0-1 in the league.
This marks the second time this year that Shulman has been so honored by the league. During the first week of the season, she was also named the Rookie of the Week after scoring the game-winning goal in the Terriers' season-opening 2-1 win over Stony Brook.
Against Maine on Sunday, Shulman scored her first goal of the game with just 4:43 left to play in regulation.
At the time, B.U. trailed 1-0, and it appeared the Terriers would lose their first regular-season conference game since October 15, 1999. Since then, they have played 20 straight games and have a 19-0-1 record. Their only tie was a 0-0 double overtime decision against Hofstra University this past September 21st.
Shulman's goal tied the game, 1-1, and it remained that way through the rest of regulation and the first 15-minute overtime period. Then, just 28 seconds into the second overtime, Shulman scored her third game-winning goal of the season.
With the two-goal effort, it brought her season total to four, tying her for the team lead with senior Nicole Soules (Springfield, VA), while she is second to Soules in total points, nine to eight.
Shulman does lead the team in scoring in America East conference games only with four goals and eight points in five games. Earlier in the season she missed the Hofstra and Drexel games.
"Once again, Melissa scored in a clutch situation," said Terrier head coach Nancy Feldman. "She has done that earlier this season for us, and I expect to see more of these big goals from her in the future.
"She is a different type of goal scorer than we have had in the past," Feldman went on. "She is a power striker, unlike Deidre Enos who was a finesse player."
Enos, who graduated this past May as the Terriers' all-time leading goal scorer with 51 and point scorer with 121, was an All-American last season as she led the Terriers to the America East regular-season and post-season titles, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
"Melissa throws herself at the ball which is the sign of a hungry player who wants to put the ball in the back of the net," said Feldman. "She is as aggressive a player in the box going after a flighted ball as we've had. She certainly combines determination and ability.
"Melissa also gets quicker when she's going for her shot around the goal," the coach went on.
"I am really not surprised at the success she's had scoring goals for us," concluded Feldman. "I saw her play in high school, for her club team, and in the ODP (Olympic Development Program), and she did for those teams what she has been doing for us."
