Sophomore goalie Mari Pietersen entered Friday night’s matchup against No. 12 Boston College women’s hockey looking to make a statement.
The backup goalie had been solid in her eight appearances this season but hadn’t yet seen her breakout moment.
The Battle of Comm. Ave. gave her the chance to do just that while facing a hometown rival and the top offense in Hockey East.
After allowing an early transition goal, Pietersen quickly regained her composure. A series of fast-paced attacks from the Eagles? Denied. A go-ahead blast from one of Hockey East’s top forwards? Glove save.
Pietersen finished the outing with 24 saves and led Boston University (17–8–1, 14–5–1 Hockey East) to an upset win over No. 12 BC (17–9–1, 13–6–1).
Entering Friday’s matchup, the best-of-three series was tied at one apiece, with BU holding a razor-thin three-point lead over BC for first place in the Hockey East standings, tied with Providence. The stakes couldn’t have been higher—especially with the postseason looming just over a month away.
The Eagles’ fast, aggressive tempo paid off early. On a 2-on-1 break, Gaby Roy finished off a feed from Abby Newhook to give the Eagles an early lead 5:54 into the game.
But it didn’t take long for BU to respond.
BU’s Lilli Welcke snuck an unassisted strike under Grace Campbell’s glove for her fourth goal of the season, tying the game up.
Both teams continued generating strong looks, but neither could find the back of the net. As the horn blared to signal the end of the first period, it was still anyone’s game.
The second frame began with a shift in BU’s approach, as BU head coach Tara Watchorn opted to shuffle the lines and moved Clara Yuhn to the second unit. BU’s new matchups led to higher intensity and more aggression when attacking the net.
Despite the fast-paced action, the period remained quiet until a 4-on-4 sequence shifted the momentum.
After Maeve Carey was called for a tripping penalty, BC seemed poised to capitalize and extend its lead. The Eagles didn’t even have time to blink, though, before a late slashing penalty against Jade Arnone led to a 4-on-4 matchup.
The Terriers quickly took advantage of the open ice. Kaileigh Quigg found space on Campbell’s stick side and fired a well-placed shot, giving BU its first lead of the game.
BC responded with offensive pressure of its own, including a pair of quality chances from Roy, but Pietersen remained composed between the pipes.
The Eagles came out swinging in the third period. Despite a flurry of chances, though, they simply couldn’t find the back of the net. Newhook rattled off two early shots, but Pietersen came up clutch each time, deftly blocking them.
Kate Ham finally broke through, sneaking the puck through Pietersen’s legs to knot the game 2–2.
BC kept pressing, but BU’s defense held firm. The Terriers blocked multiple shots and forced the Eagles into low-percentage opportunities.
Just past the halfway mark of the final period, Riley Walsh crashed the net, punching in a rebound to slip the puck past Campbell’s glove side and put BU up 3–2. Campbell struggled to control the initial shot, and Walsh’s determination in an awkward space made the difference as she buried the go-ahead goal.
After the goal, Walsh was under no illusion about the stakes of the rivalry and what she had just accomplished. She flapped her arms like a bird in what seemed to be an attempt to mock the Eagles.
BC ramped up the pressure late and even hit the post on a shot from Tricia Piku. BC head coach Katie Crowley pulled Campbell for an extra skater in the final minute, but Pietersen stood tall and made a crucial last-second save to seal the win for BU.
Leave a Reply