It’s safe to say that Boston College field hockey knows how to start a game off with a bang.
In four of their five spring season contests thus far, the Eagles (4-4, 0-4 Atlantic Coast) have recorded a goal in the first quarter, with two of those goals coming within the first two minutes of play. And in all four of those games, they’ve won.
In its Wednesday matchup against Northeastern (1-4), BC earned a goal exactly one minute into the game, after Margo Carlin slotted home a rebound from Fusine Govaert off a penalty corner. The Eagles would go on to score a whopping six more goals on the afternoon en route to a 7-3 victory over their crosstown rival Huskies.
BC dominated offensively throughout the game and, despite a shortened bench, saw contributions from players up and down the lineup.
“We had limited subs, and a majority of our team played more minutes than they may ever have at BC,” head coach Kelly Doton said following the game.
BC followed Carlin’s early tally with three more first-quarter goals. It was a day of firsts for the Eagles, as freshman Emily Hauck, who has seen more minutes recently coming off the bench to aid BC’s forward line, put home a rebound and earned her first career goal. Two minutes later, Lois Lekawael tapped in a pass from Carlin and picked up her first career goal as well.
Persistence was the name of the game for the Eagles, as four of their goals were gritty tallies earned off of rebounds. The Eagles are no stranger to rebounding, both on the field and off. After losing the majority of their fall season due to COVID-19 precautions, the Eagles have returned to the field in full force.
Northeastern did not record a shot in the first frame, but Lauren Rowe’s second-quarter penalty stroke goal galvanized the Huskies. BC looked to take back the momentum, and Lekawael delivered in the final minutes of the half. She recorded her second goal of the game to send the Eagles into intermission ahead by four goals.
Though BC’s offensive prowess was evident in their rout of the Huskies, the Eagles’ defensive unit was equally as commanding. BC did not allow a Northeastern penalty corner until the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, and the Huskies recorded a mere seven shots throughout the game compared to the Eagles’ 23.
BC’s play through the midfield was also a vital component to its success. Govaert was the linchpin of the defensive corps, and the Eagles relied on her throughout the game to receive passes in the backfield and change the point of attack for BC’s forwards.
In the second half, Northeastern scored twice to narrow its deficit, but BC’s early offensive surge was enough to secure the win.
“I was really proud of our effort today,” Doton said. “ … They knew it was going to be tough and they had to battle through fatigue, but I was really proud of how they played and fought. And at the end of the day a win is a win.”
Featured Image by Nicole Vagra / Heights Staff
