GAME 1 (SEASON OPENER)
No. 23 BU (0-0) at Ohio (1-0)
Date & Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 | 7 p.m.
Venue: Pruitt Field
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierFH

ATHENS, Ohio - The 23rd-ranked Boston University field hockey team will officially kick off its 2019 season on Saturday (Aug. 31) when it visits Ohio. Game time at Pruitt Field is set for 7 p.m.

The Terriers flew out to Ohio on Friday for a two-game weekend as they will also visit No. 14 Ohio State on Monday (Sept. 2). 

Ohio opened its season Friday with a 4-2 victory over visiting Drexel. The Dragons scored the first two goals of the game before the Bobcats rallied with four unanswered tallies to pick up the win.
 

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Junior Leah Warren registered a pair of goals while freshman Katelyn Whittle provided the game winner. Redshirt senior Kendall Ballard got Ohio on the board late in the opening half.

Ohio was picked to finish fourth in the 2019 Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after reaching the league semifinals last season. In 2018, the Bobcats went 5-12 but won just one of its final nine contests.

In addition to Friday's goal scorers, the Bobcats return their top two offensive threats from last year in junior Jillian Shive (11-1--23) and senior Karynne Baker (6-4--16). Following the graduation of goalkeeper Alex Pennington, redshirt senior Sophia Boothby moved into the starting role and made four saves in the triumph over Drexel.

BU and Ohio have faced off on two previous occasions with the Terriers coming out on top in both. In 2013, BU opened its season with a 5-1 home win over the Bobcats before recording a 4-3 road win the following year.

The Terriers, who have captured the Patriot League title in four of the past five seasons, were once again picked to defend their league crown. Senior co-captain Kiley Gallagher and junior Ailsa Connolly were named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. 

Connolly has led the Terriers in scoring in both of her previous seasons and is coming off a 2018 campaign where she recorded 20 points on eight goals and four assists. No other returnee tallied more than two goals last year so head coach Sally Starr and her staff will rely on a handful of others to fill that void, including Gallagher, junior Miya Denison and junior transfer Liz Ryan. In all, the Terriers will be replacing seven starters from a year ago.

BU welcomed one of the top incoming classes in the country, ranking ninth in MAX Field Hockey's Top 10 Domestic Recruiting Classes. Ellie McIntyre and goalkeeper Caroline Kelly were named to MAX Field Hockey's Top 50 while Rachel Borzymowski and Gianna Pantaleo were among MAX's Next 50.