Playing their second game in a row against a ranked opponent, the field hockey team gave No. 14 Boston College all it could handle before ultimately dropping a 4-3 decision.
Four goals from Eagles forward Chelsey Feole proved to be the Huskies’ undoing. Despite the loss, head coach Cheryl Murtagh said she was proud of the way her team competed.
“I think the team came out pretty strong,” she said. “We had a 2-0 lead and really went after BC, which is a good team. [Despite] being disappointed with the result, I can’t feel bad about the progress the team has made.”
Northeastern (7-9, 1-3 Colonial Athletic Association), scored first when sophomore midfielder Pam Aldridge was taken down in front of the BC net.
Aldridge was awarded a penalty stroke and found the net behind BC keeper Julia Berkowitz for her eighth goal of the season, giving the Huskies a 1-0 advantage at 2:51.
The Eagles (10-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) almost tied the game minutes later but Feole’s shot off a penalty corner went just over the crossbar.
Northeastern took a 2-0 lead at 22:25 thanks to Aldridge’s second goal of the game, which came off a penalty corner.
Senior back and co-captain Jillian Wilkes put the ball into play and sophomore back Anne-Reike Stuhlmann found Aldridge, who netted her ninth goal of the season. The assist was Stuhlmann’s team-leading ninth of the year.
“Pam’s scored on two penalty strokes [this year]. Pushing her up to center forward makes a difference, she really is a threat of attack,” Murtagh said.
But Berkowitz turned away a pair of point blank shots midway through the second half from freshman forward Carolyn Malloy and sophomore forward Meg Sweeney.
BC tied the game at two before the half and took a 3-2 lead at 36:54 when Feole scored her third goal on a fast break, pushing the ball past the reach of senior goalkeeper Colleen Duffy. Duffy allowed three goals and recorded no saves before being pulled at 41:46.
Northeastern held tough and was able to tie the game at 43:46 on a penalty corner. Wilkes sent the ball in to Stuhlmann, who settled it for senior midfielder and co-captain Ashley Bascetta. Bascetta then sent the ball toward the left post where Wilkes redirected it into the net.
The goal was Wilkes’ fourth of the season, and also the fourth of her career. Wilkes, who has taken just four shots all year, has scored a goal on each attempt.
Boston College continued to attack and Feole scored the game-winner off a penalty corner at 49:18, beating sophomore keeper Samantha Sewell, who played the final 28:14 in place of Duffy.
Murtagh said she thinks her team can use the loss to help them for the final four conference games.
“[We’ve] got to maintain the same level in practice every day, and stay focused,” she said. “I really give us some credit for how hard they’re fighting.”
The Huskies will play their final home games of the year this weekend. First up is No. 16 Drexel (12-3, 4-1 CAA) Friday at 2 p.m. Sunday, the Huskies will take on Hofstra, also at 2 p.m.
