Boston College Athletics
Photo by: John Quackenbos
ACC Grind Begins With Trip to No. 6 FSU
September 18, 2019 | Women's Soccer, #ForBoston Files
The Eagles are one of a handful of ACC undefeated teams in women's soccer.
Boston College already led Mississippi State by one goal when the attack broke in on the Bulldog defense. Francesca Venezia dusted a defender long enough to blast an open look on goal towards the right post. Goalkeeper Katie Moore dove, but the ball landed at Emily Langenderfer. The senior's sure foot was only feet off the end line, and she rebounded it comfortably into the back of the net, handing the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
It became match point for a road victory over the Bulldogs. BC won by that 2-0 final, earning its first-ever victory over a current SEC program. More than that, it gave head coach Jason Lowe his seventh victory, and the Eagles completed an undefeated, 7-0-1 non-conference schedule before ACC play begins on Thursday.
"We've grown a little bit each game," Lowe said. "Every game is offering us something different. We haven't seen everything, but we've seen a lot. We saw a really good team in a game at Princeton, and we played in hot conditions at Mississippi State. We've seen two fronts and three fronts. I feel pretty good about what we've seen so far, and I hope it'll translate into ACC play."
Sunday's win was the culmination of a virtually-perfect through the season's first month. BC combined a blistering attack with a smothering defense, jumping right out of the chute with four straight games of two or more goals. It included nine goals in their first three games and two three-goal victories before hard-fought wins over Princeton, Northeastern and New Hampshire.Â
It's been a total team effort, especially on offense. A dozen players have points through the first eight games, and nine players account for the Eagles' 17 goals. It stems from a style designed to capitalize on the available player, harnessing the talent of the individual within the team's chemistry.
"I'm just happy with how we've grown each game," Lowe said. "We've been getting more comfortable with each other, and we're executing in conditions and situations that are presented. Goal scorers ebb and flow, so when you lock into one player, you live and die by that. We've gotten it from all over the place. Olivia Vaughn got on the board (against Mississippi State), but Emily got that one on the board with Francesca. Those are two players someone might not have expected to score. That diversity is key. It frees up different options."
It's more than just offense, though. The defense posted four clean sheets in the first eight games, and opponents are averaging 0.50 goals per game. The Eagles are allowing less than 10 shots per game, with a percentage hovering around five.
Of those games, only the last two opponents - Providence and Mississippi State - had five or more shots on goal. It came after a stretch in which four of five opponents had two or less, including the Northeastern game where zero shots by the Huskies found the target. It's created an advantageous situation for goalkeeping, and freshman Allie Augur has an .864 save percentage with only three goals allowed.
"It's progressed the way we wanted to," Lowe said. "It's probably better than what we expected with some holes for injuries and younger players. We're learning what we can learn now, but we can't recreate things in training. At Princeton, we dealt with a hostile environment, so that was 90 minutes of not hearing the coaches from the bench. Everyone needed to figure things out on their own. At Mississippi State, we fought through a heat wave that made running feel like it was under water.
"There's a lot of things in each of these games that teach the team, and we have to learn the big lessons in ways that won't hurt us because the ACC is so unforgiving," he said. "There's always a lot to clean up, but we're in a good place."
That league play begins on Thursday with a game at Florida State. The No. 6 Seminoles are one of college soccer's biggest annual powerhouses, and they enter conference play as a favorite to finish atop the table.Â
"Florida State is super talented, 1-22 on the roster," Lowe said. "(Head coach) Mark Krikorian does a great job of getting the team in a rhythm to show individual qualities. They probably put in as much work as anyone off the field to improve the game. It's a professional environment. They do the right things, and that's why they've been the standard for so long. It's a good standard for us to measure up to."
It's a matchup rife with storylines after the Eagles defeated Florida State at home last year. That victory matched BC's program record for consecutive victories, but it marked the first time the team ever opened with a perfect 10-0 run to start the season. It also marked the second win for BC over the Seminoles in its previous three tries, though both victories came at home.Â
This year, BC enters the game as the better overall team with a 7-0-1 record, but FSU contextually lost to No. 2 Southern California and No. 5 UCLA. The Seminoles are a dominant home team, going 30-4-3 since 2016 with a home field advantage known for creating anticipation among its visitors..
"FSU is a great experience for players to see for the first time or experience for another time," Lowe said. "The fan base is awesome. You're going to hear the Tomahawk Chop all game long, and the team plays in a great venue. They are a great soccer-playing team. We're going to have to be organized and dial in tactically for the whole game. You have to take care of the ball when you have it, and there will be moments where you have to be comfortable playing without the ball."
It's a headlining to a conference slate known for its competitiveness. Three conference teams remain perfect on the season, including No. 1 Virginia, with two more teams undefeated with one draw, including the Eagles. Four teams have two losses, while NC State, Pittsburgh and Syracuse remain factors. Every ACC team is either undefeated or one-loss at home, placing extra emphasis on the critical need to take points in every game.
"Our run-up to FSU is a three-game stretch, but thanks to the ACC Network, we will have a week-long break (after the game)," Lowe said. "We haven't had that since we started in August. So we're looking forward to a mental reset after Thursday. At the same time, we have to remain super focused on this game and go one weekend at a time, one game at a time, to get points. You have to steal points on the road and get three points at home. Everyone is gunning for those eight spots in the ACC Tournament. That's what you have to do in order to have a shot at an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament. It's why we love the fun ride, of the grind, of the ACC."
BC and Florida State will play at 7 p.m. on Thursday night in a game televised on the ACC Network. In order to find the ACC Network on cable providers, visit www.getaccn.com.
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It became match point for a road victory over the Bulldogs. BC won by that 2-0 final, earning its first-ever victory over a current SEC program. More than that, it gave head coach Jason Lowe his seventh victory, and the Eagles completed an undefeated, 7-0-1 non-conference schedule before ACC play begins on Thursday.
"We've grown a little bit each game," Lowe said. "Every game is offering us something different. We haven't seen everything, but we've seen a lot. We saw a really good team in a game at Princeton, and we played in hot conditions at Mississippi State. We've seen two fronts and three fronts. I feel pretty good about what we've seen so far, and I hope it'll translate into ACC play."
Sunday's win was the culmination of a virtually-perfect through the season's first month. BC combined a blistering attack with a smothering defense, jumping right out of the chute with four straight games of two or more goals. It included nine goals in their first three games and two three-goal victories before hard-fought wins over Princeton, Northeastern and New Hampshire.Â
It's been a total team effort, especially on offense. A dozen players have points through the first eight games, and nine players account for the Eagles' 17 goals. It stems from a style designed to capitalize on the available player, harnessing the talent of the individual within the team's chemistry.
"I'm just happy with how we've grown each game," Lowe said. "We've been getting more comfortable with each other, and we're executing in conditions and situations that are presented. Goal scorers ebb and flow, so when you lock into one player, you live and die by that. We've gotten it from all over the place. Olivia Vaughn got on the board (against Mississippi State), but Emily got that one on the board with Francesca. Those are two players someone might not have expected to score. That diversity is key. It frees up different options."
It's more than just offense, though. The defense posted four clean sheets in the first eight games, and opponents are averaging 0.50 goals per game. The Eagles are allowing less than 10 shots per game, with a percentage hovering around five.
Of those games, only the last two opponents - Providence and Mississippi State - had five or more shots on goal. It came after a stretch in which four of five opponents had two or less, including the Northeastern game where zero shots by the Huskies found the target. It's created an advantageous situation for goalkeeping, and freshman Allie Augur has an .864 save percentage with only three goals allowed.
"It's progressed the way we wanted to," Lowe said. "It's probably better than what we expected with some holes for injuries and younger players. We're learning what we can learn now, but we can't recreate things in training. At Princeton, we dealt with a hostile environment, so that was 90 minutes of not hearing the coaches from the bench. Everyone needed to figure things out on their own. At Mississippi State, we fought through a heat wave that made running feel like it was under water.
"There's a lot of things in each of these games that teach the team, and we have to learn the big lessons in ways that won't hurt us because the ACC is so unforgiving," he said. "There's always a lot to clean up, but we're in a good place."
That league play begins on Thursday with a game at Florida State. The No. 6 Seminoles are one of college soccer's biggest annual powerhouses, and they enter conference play as a favorite to finish atop the table.Â
"Florida State is super talented, 1-22 on the roster," Lowe said. "(Head coach) Mark Krikorian does a great job of getting the team in a rhythm to show individual qualities. They probably put in as much work as anyone off the field to improve the game. It's a professional environment. They do the right things, and that's why they've been the standard for so long. It's a good standard for us to measure up to."
It's a matchup rife with storylines after the Eagles defeated Florida State at home last year. That victory matched BC's program record for consecutive victories, but it marked the first time the team ever opened with a perfect 10-0 run to start the season. It also marked the second win for BC over the Seminoles in its previous three tries, though both victories came at home.Â
This year, BC enters the game as the better overall team with a 7-0-1 record, but FSU contextually lost to No. 2 Southern California and No. 5 UCLA. The Seminoles are a dominant home team, going 30-4-3 since 2016 with a home field advantage known for creating anticipation among its visitors..
"FSU is a great experience for players to see for the first time or experience for another time," Lowe said. "The fan base is awesome. You're going to hear the Tomahawk Chop all game long, and the team plays in a great venue. They are a great soccer-playing team. We're going to have to be organized and dial in tactically for the whole game. You have to take care of the ball when you have it, and there will be moments where you have to be comfortable playing without the ball."
It's a headlining to a conference slate known for its competitiveness. Three conference teams remain perfect on the season, including No. 1 Virginia, with two more teams undefeated with one draw, including the Eagles. Four teams have two losses, while NC State, Pittsburgh and Syracuse remain factors. Every ACC team is either undefeated or one-loss at home, placing extra emphasis on the critical need to take points in every game.
"Our run-up to FSU is a three-game stretch, but thanks to the ACC Network, we will have a week-long break (after the game)," Lowe said. "We haven't had that since we started in August. So we're looking forward to a mental reset after Thursday. At the same time, we have to remain super focused on this game and go one weekend at a time, one game at a time, to get points. You have to steal points on the road and get three points at home. Everyone is gunning for those eight spots in the ACC Tournament. That's what you have to do in order to have a shot at an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament. It's why we love the fun ride, of the grind, of the ACC."
BC and Florida State will play at 7 p.m. on Thursday night in a game televised on the ACC Network. In order to find the ACC Network on cable providers, visit www.getaccn.com.
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