WSOC Team 2019

Women's Soccer Opens 2019 Season at Denver Thursday Night

August 19, 2019

NEED TO KNOW
Teams: Boston University at Denver
Date & Time: Thursday, Aug. 22 | 7 p.m. MST / 9 p.m. EST
Venue: University of Denver Soccer Stadium | Denver, Colo.
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierWSOC

BOSTON - Ready to kick off its 25th season of competition, the Boston University women's soccer team will open its 2019 campaign at Denver on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 9 p.m. EST.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS

  • BU was selected as the Patriot League preseason favorite for the sixth time in seven seasons as a member of the league.
  • Anna Heilferty was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight year, while McKenna Kennedy joined Heilferty on the Preseason All-League Team.
  • Heilferty is the first two-time Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year in program history.
  • Heilferty was additionally one of 61 NCAA DI women's soccer players named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.
  • The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding women's and men's players of the year.

WHERE WE LEFT OFF

  • The Terriers captured their fourth Patriot League championship, and first since 2015, after defeating Lehigh 1-0 in the title game last November.
  • Heilferty, the Patriot League Tournament MVP, headed in the game-winning feed on a cross from Kelly Harris in the 73rd minute.
  • The win marked the 10th time BU has won a conference championship on Nickerson Field and bumped the Terriers to 9-2 all-time in the Patriot League Tournament.
  • BU made its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance against No. 19 LSU in the First Round, taking the Tigers to double overtime before falling in penalty kicks
  • Of the 32 NCAA Tournament First Round games, BU vs. LSU was the lone game decided in penalty kicks.

LEADER OF THE PACK

  • Head Coach Nancy Feldman has been at the helm of the program since its inception in 1995.
  • Following BU's victory in the Patriot League title game, Feldman became the 20th women's soccer coach in NCAA history to reach 400 career wins.
  • Feldman has guided BU to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, 13 conference regular season titles, and 13 conference tournament titles.
  • Additionally, she has been an 11-time conference coach of the year.
  • In 31 seasons as a head coach, Feldman owns a career record of 400-168-57, and ranks 12th all-time in NCAA history in career victories.
  • Feldman has coached eight All-Americans and 11 former student-athletes have been drafted or played in a professional soccer league.
  • The Terriers have won at least 10 regular-season games in 22 of her 24 seasons.

DEFENDING THE HOME TURF

  • BU has gone unbeaten in 50 straight home conference games.
  • The streak, which dates back to 2007, is the longest undefeated in home conference games active streak in the NCAA.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

  • BU posted an undefeated record in Patriot League games for the second time in program history with a 7-0-2 record.
  • In its 23 seasons competing within a conference, BU has posted nine undefeated regular seasons.
  • Of the 31 conferences in the NCAA, BU was one of 10 teams to post an undefeated record in league games.

PATRIOT LEAGUE DOMINANCE

  • BU has dominated the Patriot League since entering the league in 2013, amassing a 43-5-6 record in regular season conference games.
  • Including the postseason, the Terriers are 42-7-6 against Patriot League opponents.
  • The Terriers have never allowed more than two goals in a single game against a Patriot League opponent.

ON THE ATTACK

  • Anna Heilferty is the team's leading returning scorer after leading the Terriers in goals (6), assists (6), and points (18) a season ago.
  • Taylor Kofton, the Patriot League Rookie of the year, follows after a 10-point season on four goals and two assists.
  • Kofton caught fire midway through the conference season, netting game-winning goals against Lafayette and Navy, and led the Terriers with four goals over the course of the Patriot League season.
  • Lauren Adelman, Shannon Keefe and Chloee Sagmoe each netted a pair of goals last year.
  • BU returns 74 percent of its point scorers from the 2018 roster.
Opening Whistle
  • BU is 10-13-1 all-time in season-opening games.

THE LAST LINE

  • BU's backline guided the defense to 11 shutouts and limited opponents to just 0.86 goals per game during the 2018 campaign.
  • The defense took it to the next level against conference opponents, allowing just two goals over 11 games for a 0.18 goals against average.
  • Additionally, the defense limited conference foes to just 6.2 shots per game.

DUAL THREATS

  • Amanda Fay and Morgan Messner split time in net last season, as each made 11 starts.
  • Messner was the lone goalkeeper in the league to not allow a goal during conference play and held the stats edge in goals against average (0.68) and save percentage (0.830).

SHUT IT DOWN

  • All nine of BU's wins against conference opponents came via shutout, marking the second straight season BU shut out seven Patriot League opponents.
  • Over its six years in the Patriot League, the Terriers have 37 shutouts against conference opponents, posting at least five each season.

CAPTAINS OF THE SHIP

  • Harris, Ann Marie Jaworski and Kennedy will serve as captains this season.
  • Harris is returning for a fifth year after starting in 21 of 22 games last season as a forward. 
  • Jaworski made a prominent return to the midfield, playing in every game during the 2018 season after missing the 2017 season due to injury.
  • Kennedy started in 21 games at the center back position, leading the Terriers with 1,824 minutes played during her sophomore campaign. 

ON THE SIDELINES

  • Tori Christ and Kelly Lawrence will each enter their first season on Feldman's staff, with Christ serving an assistant coach and Lawrence as associate head coach.
  • This marks the first season since 2007 without an alumna of the program on staff.

SCOUTING DENVER

  • Denver is coming off its second straight Summit League championship to capture its 10th Division I conference championship and secure a bid for its 11th NCAA Tournament appearance.
  • The Pioneers matched up Arizona in the NCAA Tournament First Round, where it fell 3-0 to end its season with a 13-6-2 record.
  • Samantha Feller is coming off a sensational freshman season in which she led the team in goals (9) and points (22) en route to collecting Summit League Freshman of the Year honors.
  • Senior Hannah Adler also produced a 20-point season, notching 21 points with seven goals and assists apiece.
  • Fellow senior Brittany Wilson played every minute in net, allowing just 0.77 goals per game and produced a  .817 save percentage.
  • Head coach Jeff Hooker is entering his 28th season at the post of the Pioneers. Hooker, who guided the Denver men's team for two seasons, has amassed a record 371-161-50, including 351-149-46 with the women's program.

THE SERIES

  • This will mark BU's first matchup against Denver.

UP NEXT

  • BU will continue its road swing in the Centennial State to open the season as it heads to Boulder for a matchup against Colorado on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 2 p.m. EST.
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