Box score

Junior Crystal Poland retook the national scoring lead with her second brace in as many games, and Pam Aldridge celebrated her Senior Day in style as No. 17 Northeastern field hockey won its seventh in a row, 4-1 over No. 16 Boston University at Sweeney Field.

Junior Nicky Graham also netted for the Huskies, who completed an undefeated home schedule for 2011 and earned their first victory over ranked competition since a 5-0 rout of No. 13 Michigan State in Northeastern's home opener on Sept. 5.

The Huskies may have been looking to get their seniors involved when they earned a penalty corner seven minutes into the first half.  With Poland in her usual spot at the top of the circle, ready to receive Aldridge's set, Aldridge instead turned and worked a wall pass with senior captain Kaela Barker, who found Aldridge on the doorstep to tally her sixth of the season.  The goal marked the eighth time in nine games that the Huskies have scored in the game's opening ten minutes.

The next Northeastern goal wasn't far behind.  Two minutes later, after a deflected pass led to a scramble in the BU circle, the ball caromed to Graham, who netted from six yards out to give the Huskies a 2-0 advantage on ten minutes.

The Terriers nearly pulled one back on the quarter hour mark when Kat Spring's corner found the stick of Leslie Zules.  Zules' shot beat junior goalkeeper Lizzie Priest, but senior vice captain Beth Cobby swatted it off the goal line to preserve the two-goal advantage.

Poland's early efforts on goal gave no indication of the success that was to come.  Late in the first half, she played a long ball ahead into a breakaway, but was denied at close range by BU keeper Valentina Cerda.  Just 30 seconds after the intermission, Cerda again stopped her from point blank, and when the rebound caromed right back to her, Poland was caught slightly by surprise and could only manage to nudge it wide of goal.

Despite the miss, Northeastern dominated the run of play in the second half – the Huskies did not surrender a shot on goal in the second frame – and finally put the game away through their star goalscorer.  In the 42nd minute, Graham set up senior Carolyn Malloy's corner for Poland, who completed the familiar exchange by at last beating Cerda to open the game up at 3-0.

The Terriers did get on the board after 46 minutes, when Kat Spring's corner hit Jacinda McLeod, who faked a set up for a teammate, then dribbled in on goal and beat Priest to her right.

The Huskies did not panic at 3-1, grinding the game to a halt with their possession offense, and with seven minutes to play put the game out of sight.  Cerda once again stoned Poland from four yards out, but when the rebound came right back to her once again, she was ready, swatting home her second of the day and 25th of the season.  The goal took back the national scoring lead surrendered last weekend to Hofstra's Genna Kovar, who scored her 23rd and 24th goals of the year on Friday against Northeastern.

It was Senior Day at Sweeney Field, and Northeastern honored its six seniors with a pregame ceremony.  The Huskies' 2011 senior class of Barker, vice captains Cobby and Annie Clayman, Aldridge, Malloy and Keelin Quinn have combined to start all 17 games this season.

Northeastern will look to stay hot through the end of the regular season next weekend, when they'll hit the road to face Drexel (7 p.m.) on Friday, Oct. 28, followed by a high noon Sunday tilt at Towson.

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