By Matthew MacCormack, news correspondent
It was the staunch efforts of an impenetrable back line that allowed Northeastern’s women’s soccer team (4-2-2) to earn points in two matches against in-state rivals this week. The women began the week with a 0-0 draw against University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst on Thursday, before garnering a 1-0 victory on Sunday against Boston University (BU).
The Minutewomen of UMass Amherst arrived at Parsons Field on Thursday evening and in a grueling 110-minute marathon-match, both sides battled through two sudden-death overtime periods before the final whistle blew.
From the outset, the Huskies had control. Just ten minutes in, NU freshman midfielder Hannah Lopiccolo had the game’s first attempt on goal. The shot beat UMass Amherst reshirt sophomore keeper Danielle Kriscenski, but unfortunately careened off the crossbar, inches from being a brilliant goal.
Five minutes later, outside back Skylar LeBlanc got the ball to fellow sophomore forward Taylor Caparo, but the Caparo’s shot on goal couldn’t get past Kriscenski.
Despite earning several set pieces towards the end of the first half, the Huskies couldn’t convert any scoring chances.
The second half storyline was roughly the same. Sophomore right back Mackenzie Dowd produced the best chance for the Huskies, as her header off a Lopiccolo-assisted cross hit the crossbar and bounced out.
In the closing minutes of regulation, it was UMass Amherst who seized control of the ball for the first time.
In the final seconds of the game, the Huskies’ senior keeper Paige Burnett came to the rescue. UMass Amherst redshirt freshman defender Jenny Scro fired a shot on goal off of a corner, but Burnett was in position. The keeper managed to make the save off the crossbar, keeping things equalized.
Locked in a 0-0 stalemate, the teams continued on through two ten-minute overtimes, where neither squad was able to muster a goal. Fatigue was present on both sides, and the game eased to a halt with two zeros emblazoned on the scoreboard.
The stats tell the story of the Husky domination; Northeastern outshot UMass Amherst 14-5 and held an 8-4 margin on corner kicks.
Nonetheless, the squad couldn’t follow through.
“We just didn’t compete in the second half like we’d been competing,” Head Coach Tracy Leone said. “To UMass’ credit, they got some momentum and gained some confidence and took it through the rest of the game.”
Although the team felt deserving of a win, the girls did earn a shutout, and the play of Burnett in goal was outstanding. After earning two crucial saves, the modest goalie was quick to praise her defense for the clean sheet.
“Honestly I give all the credit to our defense,” Burnett said. “[They’ve] allowed so few shots in every game, and it’s making my life easy.”
After the game, Leone huddled with the team, and declared that it was “gut check time” as the girls prepared for a bout with heavyweight BU.
On Sunday, the Huskies traveled across Beantown to Nickerson Field to take on the Terriers.
The dogfight that ensued was a tremendous back-and-forth contest, with neither side able to create many scoring opportunities. The Huskies totaled four shots on goal, while their rivals dug up only two the entire game.
The decisive moment came in the game’s final breaths, after a five-minute stretch that saw sophomore midfielders Carina Deandreis and Kimberly Slade each put a shot on frame. It was in the 85th minute that redshirt sophomore midfielder Breeana Koemans fired a corner into the box. Senior center back Bianca Calderone was there for the Huskies, able to collect the bouncing ball and shoot home the game winner.
“As soon as it bounced, all I could think was ‘I got this,’” Calderone said.
The impactful game winner sealed a near perfect week for Calderone, as she was named the Colonial Athletic Association Co-Player of the Week for her efforts. However, it was clear to the senior leader that the 1-0 team win over BU was more important than an individual award.
“The award was a surprise, and I’m happy to get it,” Calderone said, “but it means a lot [to beat BU].”
The win marked the Huskies’ first over BU since 2008.
“To do so well against them is a real accomplishment,” Leone said. “It was a battle. Every single player really had to compete to their max to be successful in that game, and they really did that for 90 straight minutes.”
After a successful week, the girls look forward to continuing their strong play, especially in the back. The back line, comprised of seniors Calderone and Awnalisa Walker, and sophomores Mackenzie Dowd and Skylar LeBlanc, has helped NU play an unprecedented 344 straight minutes without allowing a goal. The skills of keeper Burnett also cannot be ignored with her .233 goals against average.
Next up, the Huskies will travel to Dartmouth for a battle against The Big Green on Friday. The next home game is this Sunday at 3 p.m. against the Great Danes of University of Albany.
Both games represent tough non-conference tests, but the women seem confident.
“We just trust each other,” Calderone said. “We just have a great group of girls who have a lot of experience.”
Photo by Jim Pierce, Northeastern Athletics
