July 9, 2008
The Terrier Twelve - a countdown of the top moments for the Boston University Department of Athletics in 2007-08 - ends with the field hockey team's 1-0 double-overtime victory over two-time defending Big Ten champion Iowa in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Nov. 11. With the win, the Terriers advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time since 1991.
On a penalty corner in the 88th minute, sophomore Suus Dekker sent home a rebound off her own shot to break a scoreless tie and push the Terriers past the Hawkeyes, who were ranked fifth in the final NFHCA national poll of the season.
BU outshot Iowa, 15-6 - including 7-0 in overtime - and earned five penalty corners while allowing just one.
The Terriers eventually dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to No. 4 UConn in the quarterfinals, but it was without question a banner year.
The win over Iowa allowed the Terriers to set a new program record for wins in a season with 18, and the eight-member senior class became the winningest class in school history with 61 victories over four seasons.
Senior Pam Spuehler went on to be named one of four finalists for national player of the year (Honda Award) in addition to earning first-team All-America honors, becoming BU's first three-time All-American in the process. Classmate Sarah Hudak was a third-team All-American and Dekker earned second-team honors. In addition to the All-America trio, seniors Sarah Shute and Laura Dean were all-region honorees. Hudak was tabbed America East Defensive Player of the Year and was the sport's scholar-athlete of the year in the sport.
Spuehler received the Mildred Barnes Award, given annually to BU's top female athlete, while Hudak - after being named BU's Woman of the Year - went on to be named the America East Woman of the Year, one of the league's top honors. Senior Hadley Adams had the highest GPA of any female student-athlete at BU.
The Terrier Twelve
No. 12 - Men's Soccer Defeats Brown
No. 11 - Red Hot Hockey
No. 10 - Anderson Hat Trick Lifts Women's Ice Hockey over BC
No. 9 - Waresmith Qualifies for NCAA Championships
No. 8 - Holland Erupts for 38 vs. Hartford
No. 7 - Palotta Nets Game-Winning Goal in AE Championship
No. 6 - Women's Tennis Continues America East Dominance
No. 5 - Roberts Tops Nation's Best at Southern Scuffle
No. 4 - Dini's Half-Court Buzzer-Beater Lifts BU Past Hartford
No. 3 - Ryan, James Double Up on All-America Honors
No. 2 - Lacrosse Uses Second-Half Surge to Wipe Out Wildcats
