BU Women's Soccer Advances To Championship

By: Marc Filippino

It took seven extra minutes of soccer, but the Terriers pulled away with a come-from-behind win against the Stony Brook Seawolves to advance to the America East Championship game.

The Terriers fell behind early in the game, when in the 14th minute Stony Brook’s Taryn Shoenbeck was fouled on a break away that set up a free kick outside the 18-yard box. Dana Adamkiewicz took the kick and crossed it to Sa’sha Kershaw was waiting and one timed it past BU senior goalie Janie Reilly ('10).

It was de ja vu for the Terriers, who were beaten by the Seawolves, 2-1, earlier in the year. Kershaw scored the first goal in that game as well, just nine minutes in.

However, this time the Terriers would rally back. In the 72nd minute senior Emily Pallotta (’10) would take a ball up the right side of the field and cross it to freshman Jessica Morrow (’13). Morrow put her head on the ball and watched it dribble past three Stony Brook defenders for the tying goal.

“We had plenty of corners and opportunities so one of them was bound to go in,” Morrow said.

Morrow, sporting a bleeding lip, was one of the many Terriers who were jostled around by a very aggressive Stony Brook team. The Seawolves committed 10 fouls, in comparison to BU’s five.

“They were definitely very physical and went right through the ball,” Morrow said. “That’s their game.”

BU had 26 shots, 12 that were on goal, but had a hard time finishing. The offense seemed predictable, as Stony Brook was able to contain them to the outside parts of the field. It was only until the second half that the Terriers were more effective by switching the field more often, and using the middle of the field.

“On the one hand we needed to calm down,” BU coach Nancy Feldman said of the Terriers first half performance. “I told them we could keep settling for wide play, that we had start penetrating the box.”

Though the Terries had possession for most of the match overtime would be needed to settle the game.

The Terriers started the first half aggressively coming up with two shots in the first five minutes. In the seventh minute, sophomore Jessica Luscinski ('12) sprinted up the near sideline dishing a pass to Farrell McClernon. McClernon took the ball herself to the goal line before passing it off to Emily Pallotta who headed it in past goalie Marisa Viola for the winning goal.

Viola, who had played a great game up until that point, was caught out of position because of senior Taleen Dimirdjian ('10). Dimirdjian stood between Pallotta and McClernon, acting as a decoy drawing Viola out and taking a defender off Pallotta.

“That was an unbelievable run by Taleen, because if she didn’t make that Emily’s got two men on her and there’s no way she’s putting that away,” McClernon said. “Taleen really opened that up for her.”

Pallotta said it was the overall team effort despite the 1-0 deficit that won it for the Terriers.

“You want to come out strong and put one in first, but I think our team showed a lot of grit the second half,” Pallotta said. “We drew a lot more corners and shots than them and were finally able to put it away when it counts.”

The win was only BU’s second come from behind win all season. The first came against Dartmouth on September 24th.

The Terriers will play Binghamton on Saturday in the America East championship game. Binghamton beat Maine 4-2 in a penalty shoot out after 110 scoreless minutes.

“Binghamton has almost become a rivalry playing them on Fox Soccer channel for two years in a row,” Pallotta said. “I’m just glad it’s at Nickerson.”