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The unofficial start of the 2015-2016 Boston College athletics season came last Monday night when the women's soccer team edged UConn 2-1 in a scrimmage in Storrs. However, the real business for them begins tonight with the first official event of the BC athletics calendar when the women's soccer team hosts Boston University at the Newton Campus soccer field. They will follow up tonight's game with a quick turnaround, making the trip to Hamilton, NY to face Colgate on Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles will be looking to avenge last year's 2-1 defeat vs. BU, which broke up BC's 9-game unbeaten streak against the Terriers, dating back to August of 2006. BC comes into the season in the "also receiving votes" category of the NSCAA Top 25, coming off a 10-8-1 season that was highly disappointing given the standard the women's soccer program has set in recent years.
BC's hopes this year are bolstered by the return of redshirt junior McKenzie Meehan. As a sophomore in 2013, Meehan scored 20 goals, leading the high-powered BC offense that led the team to an appearance in the Elite Eight. Last summer, Meehan was named to the US U-20 World Cup team, but suffered a freak heel injury that kept her out for the entire season. If she's 100%, she should be one of the top players in the conference as BC looks to return to the NCAA Tournament.
In addition to Meehan, players to watch on this year's team include senior captain Coco Woeltz, senior midfielder Lauren Bernard, and junior forward Hayley Dowd, who led last year's team in scoring. BC will also look to be bolstered by a class of seven freshmen.
Other events on the BC athletics calendar this weekend include a pair of scrimmages for the field hockey team. They have a pair of scrimmages at home this weekend: tonight against BU, and Sunday against UMass-Lowell. Things pick up for all the fall teams next week, with men's soccer and women's volleyball getting underway while field hockey begins in earnest.