BC extended its win streak versus the Wildcats to 14 games. (Jenny Krasic / Heights Staff)
Coming into Sunday’s matchup, Boston College field hockey held a 13-game winning streak against New Hampshire. The team searched for a similar outcome in its annual Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness game honoring BC field hockey alumna Kathleen Murphy, BC ’09, who was diagnosed with MS as a sophomore at BC.
The Eagles also looked to break their winless home record and build momentum in preparation for their last two regular-season ACC opponents.
BC (5–9, 0–6 Atlantic Coast) did just that, defeating UNH (7–6, 2–1 America East) 8–2 with an explosion of offensive power.
“I’m glad that [the team] got as many goals as they did today,” BC head coach Kelly Doton said. “A lot of the players contributed.”
BC came out of the gates firing. Within the first 30 seconds of play, Martina Giacchino had an early shot on goal, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon. And before the first minute had passed, Maeve Seeger gave BC the lead off a corner shot, tipping the ball to the left side of UNH’s net and past its diving goalkeeper, Abby Johnson.
The Eagles tallied three shots on goal in the first five minutes, holding possession and putting pressure on the UNH defensive unit.
“I know the scoreboard speaks for itself, but [we’re] a really good team,” Doton said.
BC found its groove early in the game and continued to pressure UNH, just as it had done in the first period. Sprinting from the right side of the pitch, Eva Kluskens crossed the ball to the middle of the field to find Alex De Cain for BC’s second goal of the afternoon.
Just two minutes later, De Cain notched her second goal of the period, as she gathered a rebound from the corner and placed it in the back of the net.
The Eagles’ offensive dominance persisted, as they added on an additional four goals in the third period before UNH could tally even one.
BC’s Madeline Leigh and Melea Weber continued to capitalize for the offense as they scored the fourth and fifth goals of the day. Then Madelieve Drion weaved through the defense to make the score 6–0. Sophia Sisco added a score of her own to wrap up BC’s dominant third period, and Kluskens rounded out the day in the fourth period to take the BC lead to eight.
The game marked the Eagles’ most goals in a single game since 2016.
“There’s not a lot of MS games around the country,” said Doton. “But the MS game is really important because it hits home—it really hits our program. I told [the team] before the game, ‘Sophomores in the class, raise your hand, because that’s when Kathleen was diagnosed, and she didn’t quit.’”