The Terriers are without All-America midfielder Sigurd Dalen, who has been sidelined recently with an injured right foot and ankle. Dalen registered 10 goals and five assists last season, for a team-high 25 points.
While Dalen has been sitting out, goalie Matt Smith has stolen the Terrier spotlight. Smith, a 6-3 freshman from Lanchester, England, has posted a 1-1-1 record and registered 15 saves, including seven against Creighton on Sunday. The performance earned the frosh America East Rookie of the Week honors.
Before coming to B.U., Smith played on the England Schoolboys Under-18 national team. He carries a stellar .44 goals against average and a .882 save percentage into today's game.
Since its 2-1 win against Columbia on Sunday, the Crimson has focused on fundamentals that were absent in the Creighton match.
"We went over the Creighton game tape, and we focused on trying not to make so many mistakes in the back," Hench said. "We also spent a lot of time on finishing in practice."
Hoping practice makes perfect, the Crimson will try to finish their scoring chances against the Terriers and regain the respect lost on Saturday.