Early Goal Sinks Terriers

Terriers shut out for fourth straight game

by Tristan Hobbes

Sophomore forward Veronica Napoli scored nine minutes into the game and the Northeastern Huskies (5-1-0) held off a ferocious Boston University Terriers (2-4-2) comeback to post a 1-0 victory Friday night at Parsons Field.


“This is two very, very good teams playing each other,” Northeastern head coach Ed Matz said following the victory. “We told our team that BU plays for 90 minutes. We knew it was going to be tough and we were able to hang on and get a little lucky.”

In its attempt to net the equalizer, the Terriers dominated play in the second half and outshot the Huskies 11-3. Senior forward Farrell McClernon (’10) and junior defender Corie Halasz (’11) had the Terriers best chances but were unable to convert. In the 85th minute, McClernon (’10) unloaded a blast from inside the 18 that drilled off the crossbar (see worst nightmare story) and Halasz (’11) was robbed by the dive of NU keeper Stephanie Gordon with 1:15 to play in the contest.
“We really packed on the pressure at that point,” McClernon said. “It felt like we were going to get something there. It happens [hitting the post] both ways.”

Napoli provided the only goal that was needed in the ninth minute on an assist from Sandra Magnusdottir. The freshman forward won a 50-50 at midfield before finding Napoli in the offensive third. Napoli made her way into the box before beating senior keeper Janie Reilly (’10) with a shot inside the left post. Reilly was strong the rest of the night and finished with five saves and thwarted a Huskies scoring chance in the 26th minute when she came off her line to knock the ball away from a charging Liza Rebello.

With the shutout, BU has been shutout four straight games and has not scored in 425 minutes dating back to McClernon’s goal in the 75th minute against Loyola on September 4th. NU’s Gordon moved into third place all-time at Northeastern with the clean sheet. McClernon, sophomore midfielder Jessica Luscinski ('12) and senior midfielder Emily Pallotta (’10) all fired three shots for the Terriers.

“We are starting to share the ball at the right time and in the right moments,” noted BU head coach Nancy Feldman after the game. As for BU’s strike off the crossbar; “I was thinking someone could get on a rebound. There is a crossbar and there are goal posts. Sometimes that is where the ball hits and can we be the one to pick it up off the post or crossbar and put it in?”

The Terriers completed their six-game road trip without a victory at 0-4-2 and will look to turn the tide as they return home on Sunday with a match-up against cross-town rival Harvard. Sunday’s game will be at 5 p.m. and will be televised on Fox Soccer Channel (channel 122 on campus TV).