The No. 12 Boston College field hockey team ventured south to North Carolina for a double-header weekend against ACC competitors Duke and Appalachian State.
After a 2-1 overtime loss to Duke, putting their ACC record at 1-3, the Eagles shut out the Appalachian State Mountaineers 6-0. Emma Plasteras netted her fifth goal of the season to give the Eagles their initial lead Sunday afternoon against the Mountaineers. Following a period of heavy pressure on the Appalachian State goal, Plasters poached a rebounded Eryn McCoy shot in order to clinch a 1-0 lead for the Eagles.
The pressure did not stop, as three minutes later, Emily McCoy scored on the end of a turnover to put BC up 2-0 within less than six minutes of play. Five minutes before the halftime buzzer sounded, Nina Baumberger made it three, as she converted one of the seven penalty corners that the Eagles had in the half. The Eagles outshot the Mountaineers 18-2 in the first half, and held a penalty corner advantage of 7-2.
The second half mimicked the first, both in its statistical domination by the Eagles, and in the three BC goals scored. Much as the first half ended, the second began with a goal from a penalty corner. AshLeigh Sebia managed to land on the end of a corner seven minutes into the half, and she fired into the back of the goal. It was three new names on the score sheet this half, though, and all six goals that the Eagles scored came from different players.
Senior Abby Bascetta was the next name to find the back of the net when she grabbed another goal for the Eagles off of a penalty stroke. Leah Frome put the final nail into the Appalachian State coffin, when she finished off a cutting pass from Brooke Matherson, capping the score at 6-0.
The day before their win against the Mountaineers, the Eagles faced a different type of test in Durham, N.C. McCoy put the Eagles up 1-0, toward the end of the second half. She sniped the ball into the back of the net, from the outskirts of the circle. Just three minutes later, the Blue Devils ushered in a response, as Aileen Johnson knocked in a pass from close-range.
The halftime score was 1-1, and it did not change until the overtime period commenced.
Nearly two minutes into the overtime period, Jessica Buttinger put Duke ahead by pouncing on the end of a fortunate rebound, ending the game at 2-1.
The game was characterized by missed chances by the Eagles. Out of 21 total shots, BC was only able to convert one, as opposed to Duke’s two goals off of 13 shots. The Eagles had a total of 10 corners at their availability, but struggled to score off of any.
Featured Image by Emily Fahey / Heights Editor
