WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Boston University field hockey team had its 2024 season come to an end on Thursday afternoon in at 1-0 loss at top-seeded American in the semifinal round of the Patriot League Championship.
The Eagles scored the game's lone goal with 8:16 left in regulation.
Graduate student
Kate Thomason made five saves for the Terriers, stopping the first five shots she faced, including a remarkable stop in the third quarter.
BU ends its season with a record of 6-11 while American (12-7) advances to Saturday's Patriot League title game against second-seeded Lafayette.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Each team threatened to score in the opening minutes of the contest to quickly get each other's attention.
- Both teams earned a corner in the opening quarter but both attempts went wide of the cage without a tip.
- American drew four corners in the second quarter alone but Thomason and the Terrier defense were up to the task each time.
- In the third quarter, Thomason came up with saves in the 42nd and 43rd minute with the latter being a lunging stop after American's Elle Ridge was set up with a wide-open look.
- The Eagles got on the board in the 52nd minute off a restart as Sophie Willemse drilled an elevated entry ball off the hand of a Terrier defender and then, with several players stopped anticipating a whistle, raced to the loose ball and sent it to the back of the cage.
- The whistle never came and the Eagles were awarded the goal.
- Looking to draw even, the Terriers put pressure on the Eagles and junior Amalia Preece recorded a pair of shots on goal that were stopped by AU netminder Bryn Underwood.
- BU pulled Thomason in favor of an extra field player for the final two minutes but was unable to come up with an equalizer.
GAME NOTES
- Underwood turned in a four-save shutout for American.
- American held a 6-4 lead in shots on goal and earned seven corners to BU's two.
- BU is now 8-2 all-time in the Patriot League semifinal round.
- With the loss, it marked the final collegiate game for Thomason, graduate student Pili Alvarez, fifth-year senior Tess Csejka and seniors Payton Anderson, Katie Devine, Tegan Poerio and Ella Rottinghaus.
