Four Terriers Earn NFHCA All-Region Honors
December 1, 2015 | Field Hockey
Patriot League champion Boston University placed four of its players on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Northeast Region Teams, which were announced on Monday. Senior co-captains Sofi Laurito and Rachel Coll and junior Hester van der Laan were first-team selections and junior Taylor Blood earned a spot on the second team.
The four honorees were instrumental in helping the Terriers reach the 15-win mark for just the ninth time in program history. BU successfully defended its 2014 Patriot League title and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the 12th time.
Laurito and Coll earned the top two honors in the Patriot League, as the seniors were named the conference's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. This marks the second consecutive year that Laurito and van der Laan received all-region first-team accolades while Coll and Blood are first-time all-region picks.
BU tied Albany, Maine and Boston College for the most players on the All-Northeast Region First Team with three.
One of the most dynamic offensive players in the country, Laurito led the Terriers with team highs in points (35) and goals (16) and was on the All-Patriot League First Team for the third straight season. She finished her stellar career ranked tied for fourth all-time at BU in goals with 32 and began the year by being selected to the Patriot League 25th Anniversary Team.
Coll, a Patriot League All-Academic Team honoree, led a dominant defense for the Terriers, who allowed only five goals in Patriot League games and finished with a 1.89 goals against average for the season. A two-time All-Patriot League selection (2015 First Team, 2014 Second Team), Coll was the insert for every BU corner this year and put up 15 points on five goals and five assists.
Van der Laan finished third on the team with 19 points on seven goals and five assists. The Netherlands native was a perfect five-for-five in penalty strokes and she has earned All-Patriot League honors in each of her three seasons, receiving first-team honors in 2015 and 2014 after being named to the second team as a rookie. She joined Coll on this year's Patriot League All-Academic Team.
Blood had a strong junior campaign, registering 14 points with five goal and four assists. Her play earned her a spot on the All-Patriot League Second Team and in conference games, Blood recorded two goals and two assists for six points.
