Goalies Backstop BU Tie

by Tristan Hobbes

The goalkeeper combination of senior Janie Reilly ('10) and sophomore Annie Tooley ('12) backstopped the Boston University Terriers (2-1-2) to a 0-0 draw with the seventh-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers (2-1-2) Sunday afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.

"It was a war," noted head coach Nancy Feldman after her teams gutsy overtime draw. "The team showed quite a lot of character. You look at West Virginia's home record over the last couple of years and you don’t see too many teams come out of here with a win or tie. They represented BU and our program very well."

Reilly ('10) and Tooley ('12) combined to make ten saves and earned their third combined shutout this season. Reilly was called upon to make four saves in a Mountaineer-dominated first half and Tooley stymied the hosts through the second half and both overtimes. Tooley finished with six saves, five in the second half. The duo has split time in every game this season and has backstopped a Terriers defense that has allowed just three goals in five games.

"They are raising their game," praised Feldman of her two keepers. "They are steady, sometimes spectacular. It is a great tandem right now and they are giving us a chance to win."

The seventh-ranked Mountaineers dominated play throughout the game and finished with a 23-5 shot advantage. In the first half, West Virginia out-shot the Terriers 8-0 and collected five corners. The second half was more of the same, as the Mountaineers held a 20-0 shot advantage before sophomore midfielder Jessica Luscinski (’12) shot high with just under two minutes to play.

In the first overtime, Luscinski made West Virginia keeper Kerri Butler make her first and only save of the game. BU had two chances in the second overtime but freshman midfielder Megan McGoldrick (’13) and junior midfielder Shauna Kelleher (’11) both shot high. Tooley preserved the tie with a save on Erica Henderson in 109th minute. West Virginia held a decisive advantage in corners, 11-2, and the two teams combined to commit 27 fouls.

Sunday’s game marks the end of a five day span that saw BU play three games. The Terriers went 0-1-2 in those three games and will have a four day break before heading to the University of Connecticut for the UConn Classic on Friday September 11th. The Terriers will take on the host Huskies Friday night at 7:30pm and 13th-ranked Penn State on Sunday at 11:30pm.