Senior Leadership Fuels Return Trip to NCAA Tournament

By Kevin Edelson, BU Athletic Communications

BOSTON – Winning isn't easy, especially in the postseason and especially in a competitive conference like the Patriot League.

That makes what the Boston University field hockey team's senior class has accomplished even more remarkable, as they clinched their third Patriot League title in four years with a 2-1 victory over American on Sunday at New Balance Field.

"It's not easy, "head coach Sally Starr said. "Every team in the Patriot League is a good team with outstanding coaches and good athletes. It's a challenging conference to do what we're doing right now and to have the excellence we're having."

The six seniors – Maika Akroyd, Jordyn Beesmer, Allie Doggett, Kara Enoch, Ally Hammel and Kathleen Keegan – will finish their career with an impressive 7-1 record in the Patriot League Tournament. Yet despite another year hosting and winning a conference tournament, that winning feeling never gets old.

"It's really exciting," Keegan said after she finished the tournament with four saves. "Our senior class wasn't going to go home today without being successful. We really wanted it."

"It's such a crazy feeling," Doggett said. "I couldn't have done it without everyone. It's still surreal right now, but it feels good that we're not done yet. We have so much more to do."

"I'm just really happy for them," Starr said. "You want to go out as winners and it's not easy to do. The semifinals were tough against Lafayette and today was a tough game.

Sunday's win came thanks in large part to the senior class. Akroyd opened the scoring in the 17^th minute with her second goal of the season. Beesmer, Doggett, Hammel and Keegan then worked hard to hold onto that one-goal edge as part of a terrific Terrier defense, with Keegan making one of her two stops on the day in the 67^th minute before a crucial defensive stand in the final minutes kept American off the scoreboard.

"We just tried to keep it calm," Keegan said. "We think we can set the tone from the back so we tried to be composed even in the final moments. We try to be the calm for the team."

"I can't be happier for Keegs," Starr said. "She took the opportunity to be our everyday goalie and she seized it. She's been tireless in her work ethic and her preparation. I'm so happy that she's having the senior year she's having."

Starr also had praise for Beesmer, who redshirted as a freshman and has been a welcome addition to this class. Beesmer, who assisted on one of the Terriers' two goals in Friday's semifinal, has started every game over her final three years at BU.

"Jordyn was huge this year, coming back for a fifth year," Starr said. "That's a choice. That's not automatic. Her decision to come back definitely helped us to be a much better team this year and solidified our defense."

Composure, particularly in the defensive end, is just one aspect of the Terriers' game that Starr attributes to her team's success. It's one thing to be a Terrier, but Starr insists that her team play like Terriers as well.

"That was my mantra for today's game," Starr said. "Don't think about the outcome. Just come out and play smart, play aggressive and play together. Be happy to be out here. Have your tails wagging and your ears up. Be alert. I just wanted to keep them calm and focused. Keep it simple. Let's just come out and play with joy and intensity. That's what we did today."

It's been a journey full of ups and downs, including a 1-0 upset loss to American in the 2016 Patriot League title game that featured one of the strongest BU teams in recent history. However, that loss stuck with those sophomores that have now transformed into this year's outstanding senior class.

"I try to emulate what they did as leaders," Doggett said of her predecessors. "I've had such great captains here before me. We've seen the players before us really give everything and leave it on the field, and that's what we're trying to do as well."

Now Doggett, Keegan and the rest of their classmates will look to set one more example as they prepare for a third NCAA tournament appearance and one last opportunity to play a game at New Balance Field.

"It's so exciting," Keegan said. "I'm happy to not be done yet and I'm really looking forward to it."

"I feel so lucky," Doggett said, "because so many teams are done right now. I feel so grateful. You do it for the girl next to you, and the girls around me have given everything they have."

Schedule

Senior Leadership Fuels Return Trip to NCAA Tournament

Players Mentioned

Maika Akroyd

Jordyn Beesmer

Allie Doggett

Kara Enoch

Ally Hammel

Kathleen Keegan

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