Chasing Titles: BU Women’s Soccer, Field Hockey Ready for Patriot League Semifinals
Winning seven straight games, the Boston University women’s soccer Terriers earned top seed in the Patriot League and will host Lafayette at Nickerson Field Thursday at 6 pm. Photo by Tim Carey
Chasing Titles: BU Women’s Soccer, Field Hockey Ready for Patriot League Semifinals
The No. 1-seed soccer team hosts Lafayette and No. 4-seed field hockey visits American
The Boston University women’s soccer and field hockey teams have had diametrically opposite seasons. While the soccer squad raced to top seed in the Patriot League tournament in somewhat dominant fashion, field hockey squeaked into the conference semifinal.
But no matter, because both teams remain in the mix for a Patriot League title—and both are confident they can bring home the trophy.
Women’s soccer riding seven-game winning streak
The Terriers finished conference play at 7-1-1, posting a seven-game winning streak, with the past six victories being clean sheets.
“Even though we’ve had these big wins, we’re trying to keep that momentum going, focusing on us and focusing on the details that will get us towards the championship,” defender Helene Tyburczy (ENG’26) says.
Since BU finished atop the conference, Nickerson Field will host the Patriot League tournament. Up first for the Terriers is the semifinal against Lafayette College on Thursday, November 6, at 6 pm. BU defeated the Leopards 5-0 at home back on October 4, marking the start of the Terriers’ perfect defensive record.
The players know that despite the earlier result against Lafayette, the margins are much tighter in the postseason. “Every game is always so close, so one game we beat them 5-0, but this next game they can come out as a completely different team, especially because it’s postseason,” midfielder Mackenzie Stickelman (COM’26) says.
The all-league teams were announced on October 31, and BU was well-represented, with seven players selected. Tyburczy, Stickelman, Giulianna Gianino (Sargent’26), and Margy Porta (Questrom’26) were named to the first team, Morgan Weaver (ENG’26) and Bridget Carr (CAS’28) to the second team, and Olivia Avellar (Questrom’28) made the third team.
Additionally, Terriers were selected for three major awards. Gianino was named Midfielder of the Year, Tyburczy Defensive Player of the Year, and BU coaching, led by head coach Megan Burke, was named Coaching Staff of the Year.
“I just think that it shows that we are the best team in the Patriot League,” Stickelman says. “And I’m really excited to prove that Thursday and then hopefully prove that on Sunday as well.”
Field hockey earns tournament’s final spot
The field hockey team entered its final regular-season game November 1 against Colgate needing a win to secure a spot in the Patriot League semifinal—and they came through with a 3-2 overtime victory on the road.
“We wanted to control our own destiny,” head coach Sally Starr says. “The team was really focused and motivated to leave Hamilton, N.Y., with a win.”
The Terriers had lost five straight games before that, scoring only one goal over that span. But Starr believes BU found its footing in the finale. That has much to do with Caroline O’Brien (Questrom’26), who scored twice on Saturday, one the overtime winner.
“Caroline has become a primary target for us,” Starr says. “She delivered that in her first opportunity in the game against Colgate, made a great shot, and in the overtime—absolutely, it was in the right place at the right time.”
The Terriers feel that they’re getting better. Sophie Ortyl (CAS’27) says earlier in the season BU was “playing a little more individually,” and now, she says, “we’re passing more, we’re connecting more, we’re just finishing more in the back of the net.”
Despite how the regular season unfolded, the goal for the Terriers has been, and continues to be, winning the Patriot League. “That’s all that’s on anyone’s mind right now,” Ortyl adds.
BU will travel to Washington, D.C., to take on top-seeded American University on November 6. BU has extra motivation to play American, as the Eagles ended the Terriers’ season last year in the Patriot League semifinal.
“I think it’s definitely kind of a rivalry now, and we want to win.,” Ortyl says. “I think we just think back to the past few years where we were so close, and now’s our time to just capitalize on it.”
The women’s soccer team battles Lafayette in a Patriot League semifinal matchup at Nickerson Field on Thursday, November 6, at 6 pm, which will be streamed on ESPN+. The league’s championship will be held Sunday, November 9, at noon on Nickerson Field and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
The BU field hockey team takes on American University in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, November 6, at 11 am, in a Patriot League semifinal, which will be broadcast on ESPN+. The league championship is Saturday, November 8, at 1 pm, also in Washington, and will be broadcast on ESPN+.