Sept. 30, 2007

Box Score

BOSTON - Freshman Tiya Gallegos' first collegiate goal proved to be the game winner as the Boston University women's soccer team edged Vermont, 1-0, in the America East conference opener on Sunday afternoon at Nickerson Field. Gallegos provided the heroics early in the second half, and the defense took over as senior Christina Reuter made three saves in the shutout effort. BU improves to 4-5-1 overall and 1-0-0 in conference action, while the Catamounts fall to 1-8-1 overall and 0-1-0 in the conference.

Gallegos (Lakewood, Calif.) gave the Terriers the go-ahead goal at 65:09 when junior Marisha Schumacher-Hodge (Pittsburgh, Pa.) sent a long pass to Gallegos in the box. Vermont's goalkeeper Eliza Bradley came off her line to cut off the run, but Gallegos was persistent and stripped the ball right off Bradley's foot and slotted it into the lower left corner.

After back and forth action in the midfield to start the game, the Terriers recorded the first shot on goal in the fifth minute as red-shirt freshman Shauna Kelleher's (Canton, Mass.) shot went just high of the cross bar. Vermont came back and threatened with a shot off the cross bar by Carson Laderoute five minutes later. She then gathered the rebound and sent another attempt high of the cross bar.

Junior Shannon Mullen (Dallas, Texas) put a header on goal off a Schumacher-Hodge corner kick in the 36th minute that was going for the low, right corner but a Catamount defender was there for the team save.

In the second half, sophomore Casey Brown (Natick, Mass.) placed a shot just wide of the net as the Terriers continued to go forward. BU continued to dominate possession and its hard work paid off with Gallegos' tally in the 56th minute. Following the goal, BU possessed and opened up the flanks switching fields and connecting on its passes.

BU nearly doubled its lead in the 80th minute when junior Meredith Beaton (Birdsboro, Pa.) nailed a shot off the post and sophomore Emily Pallotta (Andover, Mass.) followed up with a shot on target.

Reuter made three stops between the pipes for BU, as she earned her first shutout of the season.

BU out shot Vermont, 20-5, and earned seven corner kicks while not giving up one to the Catamounts.

The Terriers return to action on Thursday, Oct. 4 when they travel to Albany for a 3:00 p.m. contest at Varsity Field.