MORAGA, Calif. – The Boston University women's soccer program concluded its August slate with a 4-0 loss to Saint Mary's on Sunday afternoon at Saint Mary's Stadium.
 
The Gaels (2-1-1) scored the first goal in the 12th minute and never looked back, scoring twice in both halves as the Terriers (3-2) were shut out for the first time in 2025.
 
Seniors Giulianna Gianino and Mackenzie Stickelman each paced BU with three shots, with all three of Gianino's chances on target. Goalkeepers Susan Shobeiri and Bridget Carr combined for four saves.
 
Ashlyn Vaughn paced Saint Mary's with three points on a goal and an assist. Sydney Middaugh, Briana Salvetti and Brooklyn Smith all added goals to back netminder Kate Plachy's five-save clean sheet.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• BU's first chance came in the third minute, where Gianino's free kick met Stickelman in the penalty box, but the latter skied the chance over the bar. Moments later, senior Margy Porta's shot rolled wide left of the near post.
• Saint Mary's got on the scoreboard in the 12th minute after working quickly in transition. Vaughn fed Savannah Schwarze down the right sideline, and a cross to Middaugh found the back of the net from 10 yards out.
• Vaughn nearly put the Gaels ahead 2-0 with two chances by the left post inside the penalty box. Senior Helene Tyburczy stepped up to block the first chance, giving Shobeiri the time to corral the rebound try in the 22nd minute.
• The Gaels went up 2-0 in the 32nd minute with Vaughn's 25-yard blast that beat a diving Shobeiri and into the upper right corner of the goal.
• Gianino opened the second half with a 22-yard free kick that Plachy lined up for the save to maintain the two-goal separation.
• In the 48th minute, BU was awarded a penalty kick upon video review. However, Plachy correctly predicted Gianino's shot towards the low-right corner and turned the ball away. Saint Mary's cleared before junior Ava Maguire's chance to bury the rebound.
• Both sides traded opportunities in the 60th minute. A long volley met Maguire down the right sideline, but her shot atop the box floated over the bar. On the counter, Middaugh's try sailed high.
• BU had three prime opportunities after the 70th minute. Senior Shayla Brown's try was blocked before reaching the goal, Stickelman's low-angle try was saved by a crouching Plachy following a Terrier corner kick and freshman Georgia Prouty's burst into the box turned into another Plachy save by the left post.
• In the 74th minute, a transgression inside BU's box, resulted in a review-assisted penalty kick for Saint Mary's. Salvetti potted the chance into the lower-right corner to boost the Gaels' edge to 3-0.
• With 1:50 to play, Smith capped the scoring with a finish after Carr couldn't handle the cross from Isabel Lendman.

STATS

• Saint Mary's posted a 22-13 edge in shots, including 8-5 on target.
• The Gaels were also ahead 3-2 in corner kicks.
• Twenty-two Terriers saw time on the pitch.
• Tyburczy and Stickelman were the lone Terriers to play the full 90 minutes.

NOTES

• Brown and sophomore Juliana Osterman made their first appearances in the Terriers' starting lineup. It is Osterman's first career start and Brown's first since Aug. 18, 2024 against Northeastern.
• Carr, the Patriot League Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year, made her season debut after entering before the start of the second half.
• The Terriers were held off the scoresheet for the first time since Oct. 1, 2024, a span of 13 games.
• Saint Mary's evened the all-time series to 1-1 in the first meeting between the two sides in 25 years.

UP NEXT

• BU returns to the Bay State for three straight contests, starting with a visit to UMass Lowell on Sunday (Sept. 7). Opening kick is slated for 6 p.m.