Oct. 25, 2007

Box Score

DURHAM, N.H. - In a clash of the top two teams in the America East Conference, the Boston University women's soccer team and New Hampshire battled through 110 minutes of scoreless action on Thursday afternoon in Durham, N.H. Senior Christina Reuter made eight saves in net, including a leaping save in the waning minutes of regulation, to record her fourth shutout of the season. BU stands at 8-6-3 overall and 5-1-1 in the conference, while UNH is 10-5-2 overall and 6-1-1.

In an evenly matched contest both teams had scoring opportunities on both ends but both goalkeepers came up with big saves to preserve their respective shutouts. UNH outshot BU, 20-11, however the Terriers held the commanding 9-1 lead in corner kicks.

BU started to press early and recorded the first shot on junior Marisha Schumacher-Hodge's (Pittsburgh, Pa.) header that went just left. UNH began to mount some offensive pressure and earned a string of free kicks just outside the 18-yard box, but Reuter made two saves and a third shot went wide. With less than a minute remaining BU made one last attempt to break the scoreless deadlock, but time ran out as the Terriers were just outside the box.

To start the second half, UNH nearly lit up the scoreboard on a breakaway from Shaunna Kaplan, however, her shot sailed just left of the far post. Michelle Sheehan nearly broke in on another breakaway but Reuter came out aggressively off the line to slide tackle away the threat.

Reuter preserved the shutout with a leaping save to her right and knock a Wildcat shot to past the far post in the 70th minute. The Wildcats continued to pepper Reuter with shots, but the Madison, Wis., native positioned herself in the right place to make the stops.

The Terriers strung together a promising scoring opportunity when sophomore Farrell McClernon (West Chester, Pa.) sent senior Lauren Basham (Lake Oswego, Ore.) down the left flank on a perfectly placed header. Basham maneuvered around a UNH defender to send a cross into the six-yard box. McClernon and sophomore Emily Pallotta (Andover, Mass.) were there to apply pressure but goalkeeper Ally Yost made a save on the line with seven minutes left.

Pallotta nearly struck with five minutes remaining in regulation on a header shot, but the shot went high over the cross bar. On the following play, the BU defense came through, as junior Shannon Mullen (Dallas, Texas) saved the ball off the goal line on a corner kick. On the ensuing play, Reuter came off her line to cut off a potential breakaway and ultimately send the game into overtime.

In the first overtime period, McClernon nearly put the game away on a volley in the third minute, but her shot went just wide of the post. In the second overtime period the defense locked in and did not allow the Wildcats to get inside the box.

BU returns to the field for the regular-season finale with Binghamton on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1:00 p.m. at Nickerson Field.