McGoldrick impresses on Opening Night

By: Tristan Hobbes

Imagine coming to Boston University and being a freshman on the back-to-back American East Champion women’s soccer team. Add to that playing and earning a point in your first collegiate game. It sounds exciting doesn’t it? It also sounds extremely difficult and extremely uncommon. On Thursday night, it was all commonplace for freshman midfielder Megan McGoldrick, however, as she recorded her first career point with an assist on the first Terriers goal and gave BU coach Nancy Feldman quality minutes off the bench in their 2-0 win over the University of Rhode Island Rams.



“We don’t put a freshman in off the bench if she hasn’t proved herself in the last two and half weeks,” said Feldman who clearly expected nothing less of McGoldrick. “From day one, from fitness testing all the way through yesterday’s practice, she has proven capable of playing at this level.”

She is not a flashy player - how could she be when she has just started her career? But she is a hard worker. Throughout last night’s game, she battled right alongside savvy veterans like seniors Emily Pallotta ('10) and Farrell McClernon ('10). She did not back down and her whole attitude showed that she wants to be here on the field as much as possible.

“The girls are awesome and it’s a really close team,” said McGoldrick after Thursday night’s game. “I just love it and I am so excited for the rest of the season and what’s to come.”

As for soccer skills, McGoldrick impressed with some beautiful crosses including the one to set up BU’s first goal in the second half. McGoldrick placed a perfect cross on the foot of sophomore midfielder Jessica Luscinski ('12) and Luscinski did the rest by burying a shot into the back of the net. Feldman put it perfectly; “[McGoldrick] has a soccer brain.”

With last night being my first experience with the women’s soccer team, I now know why it is consistently good year in and year out. It does not rebuild, it reloads.