After its last-minute loss against Syracuse on Friday, No. 12 Boston College field hockey didn’t leave its game on Sunday to chance. Margo Carlin was the primary reason, but not in her usual way.
While Carlin, the Eagles’ leader in goals and total points, didn’t contribute a tally in BC’s eventual win, she did numbers in the assist arena with heads-up play and success in locating the other attackers with precision. Carlin notched her first assist of the match 24:20 into the game and never looked back, paving the way on offense with another assist, two shots, and one shot on goal.
The Eagles (7–4, 1–2 Atlantic Coast) faced off against Vermont (4–7, 1–2 America East) at home in front of a large crowd of enthusiastic fans. Four different Eagles scored in the 5–0 win, and Caroline Kelly and Emily Gillespie combined for the shutout, recording three total saves.
The Eagles outshot Vermont 12–5 in the win.
But BC started off slow, not scoring until midway through the second quarter. But once it did, the floodgates opened, as the Eagles scored three goals in a rapid three-and-a-half-minute burst.
Peyton Hale started the scoring, as she managed to convert on a penalty corner at the 24:20 mark in the second quarter, giving the Eagles a 1–0 lead. Carlin and Martina Giacchino played instrumental roles in the goal, both making assists.
Hale, in particular, stood out with her stunning drag flick that resulted in her goal.
Eva Kluskens extended BC’s lead less than two minutes later, capitalizing on a bouncing ball on another penalty corner. In total, BC had six penalty corners all game compared to Vermont’s two, and its proficiency in that area was critical to its resounding win.
The Eagles didn’t let up their momentum, as Madeline Leigh found an open Madelieve Drion, who fired the ball into the back of the net at the 27:43 mark in the second quarter to put BC up 3–0, capping off a three goal quarter.
Vermont’s Sophia Drees and Maddie Moran attempted to break through BC’s defense, but Kelly stood strong. The goalkeeper finished with two total saves. Vermont’s two goalkeepers, Ila Gunner and Lauren Halenkamp, meanwhile, finished with a combined two saves.
The third quarter featured yet another goal, as Kluskens assisted Victoria Arra on BC’s fourth score. The score marked Arra’s first of the season.
BC never let up, and Hale found herself taking the Eagles’ fifth penalty corner of the game. Hale converted, putting BC ahead 5–0 at the 47:38 mark, and secured her first career two-goal game. Carlin and Giacchino, once again, played crucial roles with assists on the play.
