Box Score BOSTON, Mass. -- As the clock ticked down the final seconds of Wednesday's NCAA opening round game, Fairfield University Head Field Hockey Coach Jackie Kane knew the season was coming to an end. With the Stags falling to 20th-ranked Boston University by a 5-0 count, there was certainly disappointment that Fairfield's magical season was suddenly over, a harsh reality to postseason play. But disappointment generally lends itself to the moment. After all, in order to have disappointment there must be achievement. And the Stags most definitely achieved in 2017, something that will long outlast today's result. 

Coach Kane watched her team capture the 2017 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championship just three days earlier with a draining 2-1 come-from-behind win against Monmouth University on the Hawks' home field. And perhaps that all-out effort still lingered among the Stags' student-athletes who played their fourth straight game away from campus.

"Boston University is certainly fast and physical and plays at that next level of hockey that we want to play at as well," Coach Kane said. "I think this team had given their all to win that MAAC championship and probably could have used another day or two to recharge and that probably affected us in our ability to execute at the speed that Boston University plays."

The Terriers attacked from the onset which led to a few chances in the opening minutes, the last of which resulted in the team's first goal. Allie Renzi put the home team in front with her sixth goal of the season, accepting Allie Doggett's pass in the center of the circle and sending a shot past Fairfield goalkeeper Caitlin Gilligan at the 29:15 mark of the first half. Boston University continued to press in the offensive third but the Stags defense was able to maintain order for a while before Kiley Gallagher doubled the Boston University advantage with a goal 13 minutes into the half. 

After the second goal, Coach Kane signaled for a timeout to help her team regroup and keep them focused on the rest of the game. The Stags showed their first signs of success up front following the break in action, as Hannah Pike found an opening inside the circle and released a shot which just skipped wide of the goal. Kaley McMullen put Fairfield's first real threat into play when she sent a shot toward goal that required goalkeeper Millie Baker to make a save.

On the Terriers side, the Stags defense began to limit the opportunities, allowing just two shots over the final 20 minutes of the half. Unfortunately for the Stags, one of those shots found the back of the net as Miya Denison sent a loose ball back toward goal from seven yards away, pushing the score to 3-0.

In the second half, Boston University began to find its rhythm once again which resulted in a flurry of shots in the opening minutes that the Stags defense handled without incident. After that opening run, Fairfield pushed the ball forward to try and gain an advantage which it eventually did when Pike found an opening once again and sent her second shot of the game toward the target. The ball skipped wide once again and the score remained 3-0. 

Boston University eventually would create danger inside in the circle resulting in a second goal from both Renzi and Gallagher that put the game out of reach at 5-0, the last score coming with 13 minutes remaining in the game.

Gilligan made seven saves for the Stags, raising her season total to 70 for the season. For the seniors, the class played in two of the program's three NCAA tournament appearances including a match up with Boston University in 2015. 

"This was a roller coaster year for the team, but every time we thought we were down, the seniors found a way to help us regroup," Coach Kane said. "Their leadership was instrumental in our achieving our goal of winning the MAAC championship and advancing to the NCAA tournament."

Fairfield finished the season with a 9-12 overall record which includes a 4-2 record in MAAC play. Fairfield played a nationally-ranked team for the fourth time this season with its match up against Boston University today. The Stags also battled the University of Virginia, Monmouth University, and the University at Albany when they were in the national rankings.