2002 Season In Review
May 30, 2002 | Women's Lacrosse
The 2002 Boston University women's lacrosse team was faced with the challenge of adjusting to a new coaching staff, a dramatic line-up overhaul, and an extremely difficult schedule. By the end of the season, the Terrier squad passed all of these tests, upsetting league favorite-New Hampshire in dramatic fashion to capture the America East Tournament Championship game.
B.U.'s goal in 2002 was to maintain its reputation as one of the nation's premier programs, and was successful largely in part to a group of talented seniors and their commitment to continue the tradition of success. Facing nine teams ranked in the Top 20 of the nation, first-year head coach Liza Shoemaker guided the Terriers to an 8-11 record, including a 3-1 mark in conference play.
In the season opener, senior attacker Kristin Abruzzese had a game-high six points off four goals and two assists as B.U. won 16-4 over NCAA-bound Temple. Abruzzese, an All-Conference First Team selection, had her most productive season on the attack in 2002, totaling career highs of 40 goals and 24 assists while leading B.U. in scoring. Abruzzese would finish her career ranked third on the Terriers' all-time scoring list with 125 goals and 46 assists for 171 points.
B.U. faced its toughest opponent of the season against Final Four bound-North Carolina. The Terriers fell to the Tar Heels, 17-10, despite a four-goal, one-assist effort from senior midfielder Ericka Hergenroeder. A Third Team All-American, Hergenroeder totaled a team-high 47 goals in 2002, the third-highest single-season goal total in program history. Junior defender Meghan Murphy, who finished the season with 15 caused turnovers and no turnovers in 19 games, had a team-high three caused turnovers against the Tar Heels.
After a 16-7 loss to Ohio State, the Terriers put together back-to-back wins over UMBC and Stanford. In the 11-8 win over UMBC, Abruzzese scored a season-high five goals and added an assist. In the 9-8 win over Stanford, freshman midfielder Alyssa Trudel had one of her nine multiple-goal games, scoring a game-high three goals. Trudel, an All-Rookie and All-Conference Second Team selection, finished her first collegiate season as the team's third-leading scorer with 33 goals and 20 assists. Sophomore midfielder Sasha Lang scored her first collegiate goal against the Cardinal. Lang started all 19 games for the Terriers in 2002, earning All-Conference Second Team honors as B.U.'s fastest threat in its midfield transition.
The Terriers suffered a mid-season slump, losing four straight to Ivy League foes Yale, Harvard, and Dartmouth and CAA powerhouse Old Dominion. In the 11-9 loss to Yale, Hergenroeder led B.U. with three goals. In a close 11-10 loss to Harvard, senior goalkeeper Brooke Barrett made a season-high 15 saves. Barrett would end the season as the Terriers' all-time leader in saves with 631. Trudel scored a game-high four goals the 13-9 loss to Old Dominion and three goals in the 13-9 loss to Dartmouth.
Snapping the four-game skid, B.U. opened its conference schedule with a dominating 17-5 win over Albany. Trudel contributed a career-high eight points off two goals and six assists, while Hergenroeder scored a game-high five goals.
Hergenroeder scored five goals for the second consecutive game against Final Four-bound Cornell, but the Big Red received three goals and three assists from All-American Lori Wohlschlegal to earn the 11-8 win. Barrett and the Terrier defense held Ivy League Player of the Year Jaimee Reynolds to just two scores in the game. Barrett also had team-highs of six ground balls and four caused turnovers.
Continuing her string of multiple-goal games, Hergenroeder netted four goals in a 13-9 loss to New Hampshire, the Terriers' lone conference setback.
Despite scoring three goals in the final minute of play, B.U. could not catch regional-rival Syracuse, and lost to the Orangewomen, 12-11, in the Carrier Dome. Freshman Anne Sheridan made her first career start against SU, making six saves and allowing four goals in 14:45. Sheridan, along with sophomore goalie Lauren Beatty, backed up Barrett during her final season.
B.U. earned its first shutout in three years, blanking Binghamton, 20-0, in conference action. Sophomore attacker Kelly Trahon set a program single-game record with seven assists against the Bearkats, and added a goal for a career-high eight-point effort. Trahon, who missed all but three games as a freshman due to a knee injury, completed her sophomore campaign as an All-Conference First Team selection, leading the league with 22 assists.
Despite a strong outing by the defense, B.U. lost 9-7 to Brown. Junior defender Briana Smith had a game-high four caused turnovers against the Bears.
In the final home game of her career, Abruzzese led all scorers with three goals and three assists in a 21-3 romp of Vermont. Senior midfielder Molly Byrne had a career-high four assists as B.U. secured the second seed in the upcoming conference tournament and a winning record in conference play for the fourth straight season.
Abruzzese scored three goals and had an assist in the regular-season finale, an 8-5 loss at Connecticut.
Albany became the first casualty in the Terriers' run at the America East title. The Terriers knocked off the third-seeded Great Danes, 19-4, in the semifinal. Senior attacker Katie Nordhoff scored three goals and had two assists, joining Abruzzese and Hergenreoder in the 100-point club. Sophomore midfielder Hannah Cross, who led the team with a 58.8 shooting percentage, scored a game-high four goals off four shots.
B.U. upset top-seed and host New Hampshire, 11-5, in the America East Championship game. Senior defender Gabby Juocys, who earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player honor, totaled three caused turnovers, three ground balls, two goals, two draw controls, and an assist. Juocys, named to the Regional All-American and All-Conference First Teams, finished her career as the Terriers' all-time leader in caused turnovers with 102. Playing her program-record 76th consecutive game, Barrett was joined by Juocys, Abruzzese and Hergenroeder on the All-Tournament Team.
With the possibility of an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament returning to the America East Conference next year, the Terriers will have much motivation to defend their title in the 2003 season.
| TERRIERS HONORED IN 2002 |
| ERICKA HERGENROEDER | All-American Third Team, North Region All-American First Team, All-Conference First Team, America East All-Tournament Team |
| KRISTIN ABRUZZESE | North Region All-American Second Team, All-Conference First Team, America East All-Tournament Team |
| GABBY JUOCYS | North Region All-American First Team, All-Conference First Team, America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player, America East All-Tournament Team |
| BROOKE BARRETT | All-Conference Second Team, America East All-Tournament Team |
| KELLY TRAHON | All-Conference First Team |
| ALYSSA TRUDEL | All-Conference Second Team, America East All-Rookie Team |
| SASHA LANG | All-Conference Second Team |
| LIZ EBERHART | All-Conference Second Team |
| KARLENE LIHOTA | America East All-Rookie Team |
| ANNE SHERIDAN | America East All-Rookie Team |
