The Boston University women’s soccer program scored in the fourth minute and did not look back in a 3-0 victory over Holy Cross on Wednesday evening at the Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium.
BU (3-7-5, 3-0-3 PL) got goals from juniors Margy Porta and Mackenzie Stickelman, as well as sophomore Kat Slott. The Terriers denied all 11 shots from Holy Cross (5-9-1, 2-3-1 PL) to secure their first clean sheet of the year.
Porta finished with three points, while classmate Giulianna Gianino collected two assists. Freshman goalkeeper Bridget Carr’s first-career shutout came with seven saves.
Karenna Beckstein and Olivia Perez each paced the Crusaders with three shots. Netminder Julia Walsh made four saves.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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- Porta cashed in when Gianino’s shot bounced to Walsh, who couldn’t handle the bounce. Porta evaded a Crusader marker and tucked home a shot into the right post 3:45 into the match.
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- Nearly a minute later, Gianino inserted a Terrier corner kick into the box, but Stickelman sent the ball wide left.
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- BU successfully defended two-straight Holy Cross corner kicks in the 16th minute, with Carr making a save in between each chance.
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- In the 22nd minute, Carr read Allie Waters’ shot and made the stop on one hop.
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- The Crusaders earned a corner kick in the 31st minute to the left of the box, and Karenna Beckstein lofted her shot over the bar.
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- BU extended the lead in the 50th minute. Generating a free kick near midfield, junior Helene Tyburczy booted the ball into the box. Porta headed it towards Stickelman, who sent the header past Walsh.
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- Senior Morgan Fagan lasered a 20-yard shot onto Walsh in the 59th minute, but Walsh swallowed it up.
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- Moments later, Holy Cross’ corner bounced into the box, where Carr scooped up Ava Graham’s chance. The freshman made another save nearly a minute later on a free kick.
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- In the 70th minute, Slott blasted a 25-yard opportunity narrowly over the woodwork.
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- The sophomore was rewarded in the 78th minute, when she headed home Gianino’s corner kick near the left post.
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- Freshman Jaiden Schultz nearly made it a four-goal game in the 84th minute, but her chance rolled just wide left.
STATS
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- BU posted a 12-11 advantage in shots, with each team registering seven shots on goal.
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- Eight different Terriers recorded shots, led by Stickelman’s three.
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- Each team also secured six corner kicks.
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- Carr and junior Morgan Weaver each played the full 90 minutes, the latter doing so for the first time this year.
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- Neither side was issued a yellow card.
NOTES
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- Porta now matches Gianino for the team lead with seven goals on the year. Her five goals and 11 points against Patriot League foes are tied for second in the conference.
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- Stickelman’s tally was her first of 2024, and first goal since Oct. 7, 2023 against Lafayette.
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- Slott became the third-different Terrier to notch her first-career goal this season, joining classmate Kaiya Stewart and Schultz.
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- With two more points, Gianino surpasses Madison Clemens ’14 and Jenna Fisher ’15 to move into 14th place in program history with 43 career points.
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- Carr is the first Terrier to record a shutout across the entire match since teammate Celia Braun did so vs. American on Oct. 21, 2023. She is the first freshman to achieve that feat since Morgan Messner against LSU in the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 11, 2018.
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- With the win and other results around the Patriot League, BU moves into sole possession of second place in the conference table with 12 points, three behind first-place Bucknell.
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- The all-time series now favors the Terriers at 13-3.
UP NEXT
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- BU will host Senior Day during Friends & Family Weekend against Bucknell on Sunday (Oct. 20). Opening kick is scheduled for 1 p.m.
