After blowing out Holy Cross, 20-2, on Tuesday—Boston College lacrosse’s most decisive victory in three years—the Eagles will face off against another in-state rival on Saturday afternoon when they make the trip down Commonwealth Avenue to play Boston University. The matchup is the second of BC’s (2-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) eight straight non-conference contests. Having already defeated then-No. 15 Notre Dame and the Crusaders, the Eagles are starting to find their groove. BU, on the other hand, has yet to take the field.
Saturday’s game against BC will serve as the Terriers’ (0-0) season opener, just like it has each of the past two years. Even though the Eagles only have a two-game lead in the all-time series, they’ve won each of the teams’ past eight meetings and haven’t lost to the Terriers during head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein’s tenure.
Who is BC playing?
Boston University
When is BC playing?
Saturday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Nickerson Field, Boston, Mass.
How to Watch:
The game will be livestreamed on watchstadium.com.
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) Through two games, the Eagles have the 10th-ranked offense (16.5 goals per game) and the nation’s ninth-best defensive unit (6.5 goals allowed per game).
2) Thanks to her six-goal performance on Tuesday, Sam Apuzzo, who has already lit the lamp eight times this season, is the country’s eighth-leading scorer.
3) Led by Apuzzo and Kaileen Hart, BC’s six assists per game are good for third in the conference.
BU:
1) Last season, the Terriers found the back of the net an average of 12.4 times per game, only eclipsing the 15-goal mark in four games all year.
2) BU returns two of its top-three leading scorers from the 2017 campaign: Kailey Conry and Mickenzie Larivee. The attacking duo—two of the five Terriers to rack up at least 40 points on the year—totaled 113 points.
3) Losing four of its five first games, BU got off to a slow start last season. Eventually, toward the end of the year, the Terriers started to click, stringing together a five-game winning streak that stretched into the Patriot League Tournament.
Last Meeting:
On Feb. 15, 2017, the Eagles hosted BU in what was their fourth game of the season. For a while, the game modeled that of a back-and-forth affair, as the two teams traded goals throughout the first half. It was only a matter of time before BC tilted the scale. The Eagles scored four of the first five goals in the second half, breaking a 7-7 tie and creating enough separation to hold on for a 13-11 victory. From start to finish, Apuzzo was the heart and soul of BC’s offense, recording six goals, which, at the time, was a career high.
BC wins if…
It cashes in on its fair share of free-position shots. Against Holy Cross, the Eagles made a foul-happy Crusaders team pay for its physical play, time and time again. BC scored five free-position goals—four more than it logged in its season opening win over the Irish. The Eagles could very well have a few more coming their way. In last year’s meeting with BU, they also notched five free-position goals. If this one’s close, a couple Terrier fouls here and there could make the difference.
BC loses if..
Its defense falls apart in the back half of play. In all but one of the Eagles’ losses last season, BC was leading, tied, or trailing by three goals or less at intermission. Unfortunately for the Eagles, their opponents frequently got the best of goaltenders Zoe Ochoa and Lauren Daly in the second period. To this point, BC’s defense has been sound and even ranks higher than the team’s heralded goal-scoring attack. In order to preserve the Eagles’ perfect record, Daly and Co. can’t afford to crack in the second half, especially if the offense isn’t on its game.
Featured Image by Julia Hopkins / Heights Senior Staff
