BOSTON – Featuring a strong all-around performance, the No. 3-seeded Boston University women's soccer team opened the Patriot League tournament with a 3-0 victory over No. 6 Loyola Maryland Sunday afternoon at Nickerson Field.
With their sixth shutout and eighth multi-goal performance of the season, the Terriers improve to 11-8-0 and advance to Thursday's semifinal contest at No. 2 Bucknell, while the Greyhounds see their season end at 6-8-4.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Junior Lily Matthews forced the game's first save at 11:45, and classmate Abigail McNulty earned the first corner when her shot attempt was blocked a minute later.
- BU took the lead for good in the 14th minute when McNulty headed senior Jenna Oldham's corner up into the air and sophomore Eileen Solomon pounced on the ball with a header past the keeper for the 1-0 advantage.
- The Greyhounds had a shot blocked in the 18th minute and the ensuing corner cleared by the BU backline.
- Matthews doubled the lead with a 25-yard blast that the keeper was unable to contain at 20:58.
- The Terriers earned their third goal seven minutes into the second half when McNulty headed in a cross from sophomore Morgan Fagan inside the far post.
- Loyola earned four corners and finished with 10 shots but was unable to put one on net against sophomore Celia Braun and senior Gretchen Bennett, who each played a half at net for the combined shutout.
GAME NOTES
- Both Matthews and Solomon earned their first goals of the season.
- Oldham earned two assists for the second consecutive game and now leads the Terriers with six helpers.
- Fagan had two assists for the first time this season to extend her team lead in points to 17 total.
- Braun and Bennett have combined for three shutouts this season.
- BU finished with an 11-10 advantage in shots, as the teams ended in a 4-4 tie in corners.
- The Terriers are now 9-1-3 all-time in the series after winning the first PL tournament meeting between the two squads since BU earned a 2015 semifinal victory.
UP NEXT
- BU will visit No. 2 Bucknell on Thursday (Nov. 3) at 7 p.m. in the Patriot League semifinals.
- Both teams finished tied for second in the league standings, but the Bison owned the tiebreaker with a 1-0 win at Nickerson Field back on Oct. 15.