The Boston University Terriers returned to Ridley Athletic Complex on Saturday, seeking vengeance for a loss against Loyola University in last year’s Patriot League championship game. The Terriers fell short, as the Loyola Greyhounds were the top dogs, winning 9-6.
The win for Loyola (11-4, 7-0 Patriot League) clinched a bye in the first round of the upcoming Patriot League Tournament.
Saturday’s victory was the Greyhounds’ 10th straight win. Their 10-game win streak is the second-longest active streak in the nation. The Maryland Terps have the longest streak with 23 straight wins, including last year’s NCAA title and all 13 games played this season.
The scoring phenom, senior Kara Burke, stayed hot, ripping through the Terriers’ defense. Burke led the Greyhounds with a game-high five points on four goals and one assist. Classmate Annie Thomas added two goals. Seniors Molly Hulseman and Hannah Schmitt, in addition to redshirt sophomore Katrina Geiger, all added on one goal each.
Boston University was led by redshirt junior Mallory Collins’ four goals, while freshman Caroline English and junior Jill Horka contributed one score each. Collins scored four goals for the fifth time this season.
Things got off to an unusual start at Ridley as the Terriers scored first. Boston U. is just the third team this season to score before the Greyhounds, with Horka netting a goal off a rebound at the 26:17 mark.
Burke tallied back-to-back scores to get Loyola the 2-1 lead at 25:41, but Collins responded for Boston University, scoring twice, to put the Terriers back on top, 3-2, at 10:14.
Thomas sparked a four-goal run for the Greyhounds after that, scoring twice, while Hulseman and Burke also netted goals, to get Loyola its first multiple-goal lead, 6-3, with 2:28 remaining in the half.
Loyola made another run to open the second half, scoring three unanswered goals over the first 15 minutes of the half to take a 9-4 lead.
The Terriers scored two goals in the final three minutes of the game but the Greyhounds came away with the 9-6 victory.
Defensively, senior Gretchen Mayer had two ground balls and three caused turnovers, while Burke and sophomore Bailey Mathis had three draw controls.
In goal, junior Molly Wolf stopped six shots.
Loyola now has 15 straight league game victories in the regular season, tying a Patriot League conference record.
The Greyhounds will seek to win their 11th straight game and stay perfect in the Patriot League when they take on Navy (12-3, 6-1 Patriot League) next Saturday (April 18, 12 pm).
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