Lacrosse Edges Out UNH for Home-Field Advantage

In a defensive battle that came down to the final possession, the number 11/10 Boston University lacrosse team held on to take a 7-6 win from number 14/15 New Hampshire on April 12 at Nickerson Field. With the win, the Terriers clinched home-field advantage for the America East playoffs and at least a share of the conference regular-season title for the fourth consecutive season. With the win, Boston University extends its winning streak to nine games. McKinley Curro (CGS’08) led Boston University with two goals and an assist.

The Terriers (12-2, 5-0 AE) were held to a season-low 7 goals, after registering 10 or more goals in each of this season’s previous games. The Wildcats played Boston University to a 3-3 halftime tie and stayed with the Terriers for the duration of the game, never allowing a separation of more than three goals. After UNH opened the second half with a score to gain a 4-3 advantage, BU notched four consecutive goals to build a 7-4 lead, pulling ahead for good.

The Wildcats would not surrender though, scoring two more goals and threatening a third before the clock ran down.

With time expiring and the final 30 seconds on the board, victory seemed inevitable for the Terriers as they converted the clear and began to pass the ball around New Hampshire’s goal. However, BU was whistled for offsides, giving the Wildcats one more chance to tie the score. UNH charged through the neutral zone and across the restraining line, drawing a foul from the Terriers inside the eight-meter fan. New Hampshire junior Sarah Von Bargen took the free-position shot, which was deflected by goalkeeper Rachel Klein (CAS’10) back out of the crease. The Wildcats recovered the ball, but cocaptain Molly Collins (CAS’08) took a charge for the Terriers, forcing a New Hampshire turnover and regaining possession for BU.

New Hampshire’s offense controlled the ball for much of the time on BU’s side of the field all game, passing around the perimeter, looking for the open shot, and keeping possession away from the Terriers. However, BU forced some pressure on the Wildcats in the second half, causing eight turnovers, and Klein made four of her five saves on the afternoon during the final 30 minutes.

Erica Baumgartner (CGS’08) collected three points, including two assists, Collins and Traci Landy (CGS’08) each had a goal and an assist, and cocaptain Lauren Morton (CAS’08) and Sarah Dalton (CGS’07, CAS’09) tallied one score each.

New Hampshire held BU to a season-low 16 shots, with the Wildcats firing off 13. The battle for ground balls ended up tied at 13 apiece, and the Terriers controlled 9 draws to UNH’s 6.

BU will enjoy its longest break of the season this week, heading to UMBC on Saturday, April 19, for its final regular-season America East competition at UMBC Stadium at 4 p.m.

Softball Takes Rubber Match with Hartford, 3-2
Rachel Hebert (CGS’08) smashed a home run out of the park in the fifth inning to break a 2-2 deadlock and give the Boston University softball team a 3-2 triumph in the rubber match with Hartford on April 13. Kelley Engman (CAS’11) earned the victory in the circle, pitching the final 3.1 innings, with four hits and three strikeouts. The Terriers improve to 23-13 overall and 9-2 in America East, while the Hawks fall to 15-11 overall and 4-7 in conference play.

Hebert was 2-for-4 in the batter’s box, and April Setterlund (SMG’11) went 2-for-3 on the afternoon. Christy Leath (SAR’09) and Melissa Dubay (CAS’09) drove in the first two runs in the first inning, and Hartford responded in the third and fourth, before Hebert’s game-winning long ball.

Cassidi Hardy (CAS’09) got the start in the circle and went 3.2 innings, with five strikeouts, three hits, and two runs. Engman came into the game in relief and earned the win, allowing four hits and no runs to go along with three strikeouts.

BU picked up two early runs on two errors as Setterlund and Leath scored on the plays. The Terriers then loaded the bases in the second; however, Hartford’s Brittany Stratton struck out one batter and forced a fly out to get out of the jam.

After loading the bases in the top of the third, Hartford got on the board with a walk; however, BU managed a strikeout to prevent any further runs from crossing home. The Hawks knotted the score at two in the fourth on back-to-back doubles, but Hebert broke up the tie with her second round-tripper of the year. In the top of the sixth, the Hawks put runners on the corners, but Engman got the strikeout to earn the victory.

The Terriers will take a break from conference play this week to host in-state rivals Boston College on Wednesday, April 16, at 3 p.m. and Massachusetts on Thursday, April 17, at 3:30 p.m.

Boston University Outdoor Track and Field Competes at Spec Towns Invitational
The Boston University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the Spec Towns Invitational in Athens, Ga., this weekend at the Spec Towns Track, with senior David Proctor and graduate student Kat Warden taking first in the 800m and 1500m, respectively.

Proctor crossed with a 1:51.75 time, just a few seconds ahead of freshman Ken Haltom (1:55.73, 5) and seniors Chadd Steinhauser (1:56.07, 6) and Jake Laroe (2:01.47, 10). Laroe (3:53.46, 2), senior Pat Hoye (3:54.06, 3), and sophomore David Polgar (4:00.68, l0) all finished the 1500m, junior Jason Nardella (15.49) took 10th in the 110m hurdles, and sophomore Mark Mazzochette (55.81) took 12th place in the 400m hurdles.

Wilder came out eighth in the long jump with a 6.76m distance, and sophomore Chase Carnahan was eighth in the javelin with a 48.92m throw. Freshman Daniel Withrow (15.49m), senior Dan Martin (14.93m), and sophomore Jan Bicanic (14.80m) placed 11th, 12th and 13th, respectively, while Withrow (48.61m, 9), Bicanic (47.66m, 11), Martin (44.16m, 14), and sophomore Logan Moore (41.24m, 15) all competed in the discus throw.

Warden’s 4:36.83 time in the 1500m earned her first, followed by senior Anne Wighton, who crossed fourth with a 4:42.22 time. Sophomore Whitney Ford placed ninth in the 100m with a 12.13 mark, followed by senior Tahari James (12.28, 11), freshman Alex Jackson (12.46, 13), and seniors Erin Catarius (12.50, 16) and Alyssa Fanucci (13.00, 22). Ford (25.01) also took 11th in the 200m, with freshman Laura Martin (25.55) placing 14th. Freshman Amanda Howard finished 14th in the 400m with a 1:02.22 time, and junior Katie Weider (2:14.63, 4) and Warden (2:15.49, 7) completed the 600m. Junior Rebecca Marshburn (1:04.14, 6) competed with sophomore Casey Jordan (1:02.72, 2) in the 400m hurdles, also taking ninth in the 100m hurdles with a 15.29 time. Boston University’s teams took third in the 4×100 relay with a 46.71 time and fourth in the 4×400 relay with a 3:55.20 mark.

Freshman Karly Neveu placed fourth in the high jump with a 1.60m height, and James (5.97m, 5), Ford (5.90m, 7), juniors Edwina Clark (5.77m, 9) and Alexis Beaudet (5.53m, 13), Jackson (5.14m, 19), and Fanucci (5.12m, 20) all competed in the long jump.