The Northeastern University field hockey team split games at home last weekend, enjoying a history-making win against Hofstra University Friday before falling to neighboring Boston University (BU) in a wet and wild dogfight Columbus Day.
Six different Huskies scored in the team’s 8-1 bulldozing of Hofstra. The eight goals set a record for the most scored in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference play in program history, while the seven-goal deficit in the CAA game ties the team’s 2006 record.
“I was so happy with the team scoring eight goals,” head coach Cheryl Murtagh said. “We played well most of the game offensive and defensively.”
A penalty corner shot attempt by first-year defender Aniek van de Graaf kickstarted the Huskies’ drive to get on the board. Third-year forward Laura MacLachlan grabbed the rebound and sent it over to fifth-year forward Jamie Bartucca, who was waiting on the left side of the goal and drove the ball into the back of the net. MacLachlan went on to record a goal of her own just five minutes later, scoring on an assist from second-year midfielder Megan Barrett to push the Huskies’ advantage to two.
After a goal by third-year forward June Curry-Lindahl and a second by MacLachlan, van de Graaf notched her first career goal to give the Huskies a 5-0 lead heading into the half.
Northeastern continued their charge after the half when Curry-Lindahl scored her second point of the game on an assist from first-year forward Camille O’Conor in the 36th minute of play.
Hofstra spoiled the Huskies’ shutout efforts in the 54th minute when the Pride’s Anne van den Boomen drove a shot past first-year goalkeeper Julia Gluyas on a penalty corner. Gluyas, who played the full 70 minutes between the posts, allowed just the one goal and made three saves.
Fourth-year forward Kristin Abreu pushed the Huskies back up to a six-point advantage when she slammed a direct shot into the boards on a penalty corner insertion by Bartucca.
O’Conor notched the record-setting goal in the 62nd minute of play on a pass from Curry-Lindahl to secure her fifth goal of the season and the 8-1 win.
Unfortunately, the success did not continue when the Huskies returned to the field on a rainy Columbus Day evening to battle nationally acclaimed BU, ranked 25th in the country. BU managed four goals in the first 21 minutes of play before Northeastern regained energy and kept back-and-forth possession going. With seven seconds remaining in the half, Bartucca scored her 13th goal of the season and the Huskies’ lone goal of the day. Bartucca has scored at least once in each of the Huskies’ games since Sept. 15.
BU went on to score two more unanswered goals in the second half to increase their advantage to five, handing the Huskies their seventh loss of the season.
“They’re quick to the ball, we knew that,” Murtagh said of the Terriers. “We just needed to be a little bit more efficient under pressure and we need to be a little more poised.”
Gluyas earned the start in net for the Huskies, allowing four goals before first-year goalkeeper Julia Ennis relieved her in the second half. Ennis made one save and allowed two goals.
Northeastern will search for redemption against their other cross-town rival, Boston College, in Chestnut Hill Friday.
“I think we have to regroup,” Murtagh said. “I think we have to get back to where we were. We have to keep working hard, playing hard and get ready for [Boston College]. They’re a great opponent.”
