Boston University
12-5-3
Bucknell (PL Final)
11-6-3
THREE-PEAT! BU Wins Third-Straight PL Championship
November 8, 2015 | Women's Soccer
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BOSTON - A late goal gave the Boston University women's soccer team its third-straight Patriot League Championship in a gritty 1-0 win over Bucknell on Sunday afternoon on Nickerson Field.
The Terriers await their NCAA Tournament pairing, which will be announced tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 9 at 4:30 p.m., on the Division I Women's Soccer Selection Show. The event is aired live on NCAA.com
BU is the first team to win three consecutive Patriot League Championships since 1999 when Colgate completed a five-title run. The Terriers also reversed the curse of the host school, as they became the first team in six years to both host and win the tournament.
In its third season in the conference, BU is now a perfect 3-for-3 in winning league championships and won the title for the first time after earning a solo Regular Season Championship.
Overall, the Terriers have now won eight-straight conference titles spanning their time in both the America East and Patriot League. They will also make their 10th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, a streak dating back to the 2005 season.
Chelsea Churchill scored her second goal of the season--and second against Bucknell--to give the Terrier's the win. It was the final shot on net of the game in a contest that featured 13 on-target attempts and two shots that hit the cross-bar for BU alone. Bucknell net-minder and Patriot League All-Tournament Team member Jessica Ratner was able to stop 12 but a well-placed ball and confusion in the box ultimately got the best of her.
The BU representatives on the All-Tournament Team included Patriot League Tournament MVP Clare Pleuler, whose efforts in the midfield were critical to BU's success, and her classmates Jenna Fisher, Rachel Blauner and McKenzie Hollenbaugh.
The entire game was dictated by incredible defense that negated any chances on net that either team was able to find. Each side found their offensive stride several times but neither was able to capitalize on reaching their final third and the game remained scoreless at halftime despite nine BU shots including five on net.
The Terriers came out of the gates fast in the second period as Alexandra Cooper took the reins of the BU offense and got four dangerous shots off within the first 15 minutes, two of which were saved and two clanged off of the crossbar.
Despite this lift in pace in energy, the Terriers were still unable to find the back of the net despite controlling the ball the entire period and allowing just one off-target shot for the Bison throughout the entire second half.
BU finally found its answer in the 86th minute when an uproar over a missed Bucknell hand-ball in the box gave Churchill the distraction she needed to pull out of traffic and tuck the ball under the crossbar to put the Terriers on top, 1-0.
The Terriers played keep-away for the final four minutes and came away victorious despite the Bison's best efforts.
Team Stats
Churchill, Chelsea (1)
shot off loose ball from 20 yards
85:13
