BC has scored one goal in its four-game losing streak. (Emily Ahern / Heights Editor)
No. 13 Boston College field hockey was fewer than 20 seconds away from ending the first quarter in an 0–0 draw with No. 3 Virginia.
Instead, Virginia’s Mary Adams earned a penalty corner and netted a go-ahead goal—her first of the season. That goal turned out to be the difference in the game.
Virginia kept the 1–0 lead until adding an empty-net goal in the final minutes of the game, when Emma Watchilla scored unassisted to double the Cavaliers’ lead.
Even as Boston College broke through the defense and tallied shots on goal, Virginia (5–0, 1–0 Atlantic Coast ) goalkeeper Nilou Lempers stopped them all, allowing the third-ranked team in the country to remain undefeated. BC, meanwhile, picked up its fourth straight loss after beginning the season 3–0.
The Eagles play four of their next five games on the road, and the last two games in that stretch will be played on the opposite coast, as BC takes a visit to new conference opponents California and Stanford.
The Eagles (3–4, 0–2) outpaced the Cavaliers in shot attempts on Friday, putting up seven to Virginia’s five. Six of the Eagles’ shot attempts were on target.
BC had two corners in the second period—both from Madelieve Drion—but could not get a shot on goal. And while the Eagles shot on goal three times in the third quarter, Lempers quickly halted all three.
Lempers kicked away a shot from Eva Kluskens in the beginning of the final period, picking up the last of her six saves and keeping the Cavaliers in front.
The Eagles did not register another shot following that save, and Virginia turned its attention to letting the clock expire and holding onto its one-goal lead.
Drion tallied two shots on goal and took the lead on each of BC’s three corners. Drion, BC’s points leader from last season, has four points this season. Junior forward Klara Mueffelmann also put up a shot on goal in Friday’s loss.