Boston College field hockey defender Sky Caron has long since proved herself as one of the most capable members of BC’s defensive corps. The 5-foot-8 senior is all power, and she continually showcases her strength with swooping aerial passes and key defensive stops.
Caron has also been BC head coach Kelly Doton’s go-to option for penalty stroke opportunities for her four years on the Heights—and for good reason. Of the 11 attempts Caron has taken over the course of her career, she’s netted goals on nine of them. In the third quarter of the Eagles’ matchup with Northeastern, BC was awarded a penalty stroke. The Eagles were sporting a tenuous one-goal lead and were in desperate need of an insurance goal to give them some breathing room.
Caron got the nod to take the shot, and the veteran blasted a shot past Northeastern goaltender Erin Savage, netting the eventual game winner for the Eagles.
Though Northeastern (5–11) responded with a third quarter goal of its own, No. 13 BC (10–5) held onto its lead and earned a 2–1 win over the Huskies.
This season, BC has displayed a knack for keeping spectators and fans on their toes. Of the Eagles’ 10 wins this season, seven of those ended with BC up by just one goal.
A strong start was key to BC’s success against Northeastern. The Eagles wasted no time in the first quarter and began testing Savage early on. Five different Eagles combined for seven shots in the first quarter, which set the tone for a strong offensive showing from BC.
Graduate student Elizabeth Warner kicked off the scoring less than two minutes into the game. On a penalty corner, Caron’s shot was blocked, and the ensuing rebound popped out to Warner. She coolly placed the ball past Savage, granting the Eagles a one-goal lead that would last through the first half.
Neither team recorded a single shot through the second quarter. Aside from a BC penalty corner at the beginning of the frame, most of the action took place between the 25-yard lines. BC’s capable midfield, composed of veteran Fusine Govaert as well as Juliette Hijdra and Kendall Hanlon, shined in the back-and-forth affair.
Despite Caron’s goal just 30 seconds into the third quarter, Northeastern came out with renewed energy in the second half. The Huskies earned three corners and outshot the Eagles 5–3 in the third frame. Their efforts were rewarded when offensive catalyst Mak Graves snuck a shot past BC goaltender Jonna Kennedy with three minutes left in the quarter, earning her seventh goal of the season.
Graves’ shot was one of just two shots on goal all game against Kennedy.
BC continued to sustain offensive pressure on the Huskies through the fourth quarter, but the Eagles could not put another shot past Savage, who made four saves in the frame. She finished with 11 saves on 13 shots on goal.
Caron and Kennedy, a dynamic defensive duo on the Eagles’ squad, will take their talents to South Africa this December. Earlier this week, they were named to the United States’ 18-woman roster for the Junior World Cup. The pair, along with Nell Webber, was honored in BC’s Senior Night on Friday, in which the seniors picked up a key ACC victory over Duke.
BC is riding a two-game win streak into its final regular season game. The Eagles will travel down to Winston-Salem for a Friday matchup against Wake Forest, their final test of the season before the ACC tournament. Despite their winning record, BC has struggled against ACC opponents this season, recording close losses to Syracuse and Louisville and falling big against UNC.
Featured Image by Nicole Wei / For The Heights
