BOSTON - The Boston University field hockey team opened up its 2023 season on Friday afternoon with a 3-1 home loss to Michigan State at New Balance Field. Sophomore Martu Coulo scored the lone goal for the Terriers.

Emma O'Neill scored twice in the opening quarter for the Spartans before Coulo cut the deficit to 2-1 late in the second quarter. O'Neill completed a hat trick in the 37th minute to make it a two-goal game again. 

The Terriers, who held a 12-11 advantage in shots, battled until the final horn but were unable to get another shot past the MSU defense.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• BU earned the first corner and first shot on goal of the contest in the third minute but the chance was denied by goaltender CC Charles. 
• After the Terriers successfully defended MSU's first corner, the visitors opened the scoring a minute later when O'Neill tracked down the rebound off her own shot and sent a reverse-stick shot to the boards from the left side at the 9:11 mark.
• O'Neill struck again less than a minute later from the middle of the circle when she was able to redirect the ball into the goal following an offering by Tess Keppel from the left side.
• Coulo turned in an impressive individual effort for BU's first goal of the 2023 season as the sophomore penetrated the circle from the top before weaving around defenders and elevating a shot to the top right corner of the goal with 4:47 remaining in the opening half.
• The Spartans used a corner to regained a multi-goal cushion in the 37th minute as an attempt by Ellie Wheatley from the top of the circle was tipped in by O'Neill to finish off her hat trick and make it a 3-1 contest.
• BU quickly earned a corner on the other end but two hard shots from junior Payton Anderson were both stopped by Charles.
• The Terriers did not allow a shot in the final quarter and earned the final corner of the contest but the Spartans held on for the win.

GAME NOTES

• The Terriers earned 12 shots to the Spartans' 11.
• MSU had seven corners on the day while BU had three.
• Thomason played the first three quarters and made five saves before junior Michelle Prario came on for the fourth quarter in her collegiate debut.
• Charles, who played the first and third quarters in goal for the Spartans, made four saves while Lyra Gavino played the second and fourth quarters and stopped one of the two shots she faced.
• Freshmen Nicole Lauro and Alex Purcell each earned starts in their BU debuts while fellow freshmen Olivia Hammer and Maggie Driscoll also saw their first action.

UP NEXT

• BU will return to action next Friday (Sept. 1) when it visits Maine for a 2 p.m. contest.