Field Hockey Takes on No. 13 BU

Tomorrow afternoon, Jordan Field will be turned into a shooting gallery as the big guns on the Harvard field hockey team duel with No.13 Boston University.

The Crimson (8-3, 3-1 Ivy) looks to have its hands full against BU. The Terriers (12-2) sit alone atop the America East Conference and pack one of the most explosive offenses in the northeast.

With four of the conference's top six scorers in the lineup, the BU is averaging more than four goals per game, and have scored 58 times in only 14 contests.

A major reason for the Terriers offensive prowess this season is the play of sophomore scoring sensation Jane Rogers.

Rogers, a transfer student from Northeastern, leads the conference in scoring with 10 goals and six assists for 26 points.

Netting her first career hat trick in the Terrier's 5-0 rout of Hofstra last Sunday, Rogers earned America East Rookie of the Week honors.

It was the third time this season Rogers was honored by the America East Conference. Rogers was previously named Rookie of the Week in early September, and honored as last week's top player.

Rogers is joined up front by senior forward Daniele DeCoste. DeCoste is third in the conference in scoring with nine goals and seven assists for 25 points, and scored the game winner in the Terriers' narrow 2-1 conference win over No.19 New Hampshire this past Wednesday.

The Terrier's blistering offense is rounded out by freshman forward Angela Jamieson--who has seven goals on the year--and senior forward Jaclyn Mele. Mele has scored five goals this season, and her 10 assists lead the conference.

If No.20 Harvard plans on winning tomorrow, the Crimson defense, lead by senior goalkeeper Anya Cowan, will have to find a way to shut down the BU scoring machine.

Cowan's acrobatic goaltending late in Wednesday night's game against Northeastern was a major reason for the Crimson's 3-2 win, and Cowan will need to shine just as brightly against the Terriers.

If Harvard's defense can keep the game close, the offense will have an excellent chance to steal the game for the Crimson.

Although the Terrier's goaltending tandem of senior Noreen Flanagan and sophomore Susan Harrington has allowed a conference low 22 goals in 14 games, neither has been seriously tested.

BU has out-shot its opponents 283-117 this season and its iron curtain defense has been nearly impenetrable. In its 2-1 victory over New Hampshire, the Terriers allowed only three shots on goal.

However, if the Crimson offense can use its speed to confuse BU's defenders, tri-captain Dominique Kalil and junior forward Kate Nagle stand a good chance of putting a couple of goals into the back of the Terriers' net.

Kalil is sixth in the Ivy in scoring with six goals and seven assists for 19 points, while Nagle leads the teams in goals with seven, to go along with an assist for 15 points.

Both Kalil and Nagle will have to remain hot if Harvard is to challenge for the Ivy title.

BU is the highest ranked team remaining on the Crimson's schedule, and a victory over the Terriers would boost Harvard's confidence immensely as it prepares for a pivotal match up with Princeton on October 23.

Harvard is in a three-way tie for second place in the Ivy League, with No.17 Princeton and No.18 Dartmouth. Meanwhile, No.16 Brown (8-1, 4-0 Ivy) is alone atop the league standings.