Sept. 12, 2007
Box Score | Season Stats
AMHERST, Mass. - Senior Pam Spuehler and sophomore Gabby Hajjar each scored a goal during a span of under three minutes in the second half to push the No. 20 Boston University field hockey team to a 2-0 road victory over Massachusetts on Wednesday evening at Garber Field. The Terriers improve to 4-2 on the year with the win, while UMass falls to 3-4.
After heading into halftime in a scoreless tie, the Terriers dominated play in the second half, putting up 10 shots to the Minutewomen's one and scoring goals off penalty corners in the 55th and 57th minutes.
"It was a tale of two teams for us," said head coach Sally Starr. "UMass took us out of our game in the first half, but we showed what we were capable of in the second half."
Redshirt freshman Amanda Smith earned her first career victory in goal for the Terriers and did not have to make a save in picking up the shutout. Senior Becky Letourneau made five saves for the Minutewomen.
Spuehler opened the scoring with her team-leading fourth goal of the season when she knocked in a deflected shot off a corner. After inserting the ball, the senior rushed towards the goal, where she collected the ball and slid it past Letourneau.
Exactly two-and-a-half minutes later, Hajjar redirected a shot from junior Holly Wiles to the boards off BU's seventh and final penalty corner of the evening. The goal was Hajjar's third on the year, while Wiles picked up her second assist.
"I could tell from the first 10 seconds of the second half that we had found our energy, our sense of urgency and a competitive fire," added Starr. "The team played smart and controlled the tempo, and we did a great job with the possession game."
BU snapped a two-game losing streak and earned its sixth straight win over the Minutewomen in the process.
For the game, the Terriers outshot UMass, 12-7, and held a 7-4 advantage in penalty corners.
BU will continue its stretch of three road games in five days when it makes the short cross-town trip to Northeastern on Saturday, Sept. 15. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
