Oct. 25, 2013

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BOSTON - Paced by three first-half goals and four saves from junior Valentina Cerda Eimbcke, the Boston University field hockey team defeated California, 3-1, on Friday night at New Balance Field.

BU (11-5) scored the first three goals in a contest that was never in doubt. Freshman Hester van der Laan factored on all three Terrier goals, scoring one and assisting on the other two. Senior Ysi Schieb and sophomore Sofi Laurito also found the back of the cage while Cerda Eimbcke made four saves to preserve the win.

The Terriers struck first at the 13:56 mark of the opening half on their second penalty corner of the contest. van der Laan inserted and found Schieb, who collected the pass and fired a shot high over Cal goalkeeper Courtney Hendrickson for her second goal of the season.

Laurito made it a 2-0 lead less than three minutes later thanks to another penalty corner. Once again, van der Laan provided a perfect insert and Laurito's shot deflected off of a Cal player and past Hendrickson for the sophomore's sixth goal of the year.

Less than a minute after Laurito's marker, van der Laan converted a penalty stroke to extend the BU lead to 3-1 at the 17:29 mark of the first half. The flurry of goals continued when the Golden Bears responded with a goal of their own at 18:33. Lara Kruggel's pass into the circle deflected off of a Terrier defender and onto the stick of Sydney Earle, who beat Cerda Eimbcke high to the right corner.

Neither team mustered a goal in the final 35 minutes, even when Cal enjoyed a two-player advantage and an empty cage for the final 5:41 of the contest. Cerda Eimbcke made three of her four saves in the second stanza. The Terriers held Cal without a penalty corner and outshot the Golden Bears, 19-7.

BU will be back in action on Sunday when No. 8 Duke visits New Balance Field. Game time is slated for 1:30 p.m.