Box Score | Video Highlights
BOSTON - Despite a pair of goals from sophomore Hester van der Laan, the Boston University field hockey team dropped a 3-2 double-overtime contest to No. 14 Northwestern in its season opener on Friday afternoon at New Balance Field.
Van der Laan tied the game on two occasions to send the game into overtime. Playing in her collegiate debut, Pascale Mansey scored her second goal of the contest with 4:56 left in the second overtime to lift the Wildcats to the victory.
Senior Valentina Cerda Eimbcke made six saves in goal for the Terriers, who also got a defensive save from freshman Allie Renzi.
Just when it looked like the teams would head into halftime scoreless, the visitors opened the scoring with 42 seconds left in the first half. Massey redirected an offering from sophomore Dominique Masters off Cerda Eimbcke and into the top right corner of the net.
BU was determined to get an equalizer early in the second half and did just that when van der Laan picked up a rebound in front of the cage and elevated it past Northwestern goalkeeper Maddy Carpenter just 2:26 after halftime. Fellow sophomore Amanda Cassera created the chance by getting the ball to the cage.
Northwestern regained the lead in the 50th minute, as an entry ball on the right side from Massey found its way to redshirt sophomore Ashley Bernardi, who quickly slid it to Masters. Masters took the pass and sent it home to make it a 2-1 contest.
Just over four minutes later, BU tied the contest on a similar goal. Junior Rachel Coll dribbled in from the right and pushed the ball to the middle of the circle, where van der Laan corralled it and knocked it in.
The final 16 minutes of regulation were scoreless, as the game went to overtime at 2-all.
Junior Sofi Laurito drew the first corner of overtime, but the Terriers were unable to convert. Cerda Eimbcke went on to make three saves in the late stages of the first overtime to send it to a second extra session.
The game-winner came when junior Caroline Troncelliti took a lead pass to create an odd-player rush. Her pass to Massey was broken up by Cerda Eimbcke, but Massey rushed to the loose ball and sent a reverse-stick shot to the near post. Cerda Eimbcke closed the gap at the post, but the ball went off her before trickling behind her to lift the visitors to the win.
The Wildcats held a 19-8 advantage in shots, but the margin was 13-8 after halftime. Northwestern earned eight corners while allowing BU four, which all came after the opening half. Carpenter made three stops in goal to earn the win.
The Terriers will return to action on Sunday (Aug. 31) when they visit Ohio for an 11:30 a.m. contest.
