Junior goalkeeper Emerson Richmond Burke had the best two-game stretch of her career with 11 saves, but a shocking lack of scoring contributed to two shutout away losses for the Stony Brook women’s soccer team against Big East and Pac-12 opponents.
The Seawolves lost 4-0 against the Providence Friars on Thursday, Sept. 2 and 2-0 against Colorado Buffaloes on Sunday, Sept. 5 while taking a combined five shots on goal. At 1-3-1, they have nearly equaled their loss total from all of last season.
The disparity between Burke and the offense was never more apparent than in the first half against Providence. An early goal put Stony Brook behind, but Burke was flawless for the rest of the first period. Starting at the 25th minute, she made five saves in 20 minutes to keep the score 1-0 heading into halftime. The Seawolves, though, could not clear the ball away and did not take a single shot during those 20 minutes.
Burke added one more save in the second period to match her career-high of six, but a Providence rally distracted from the accomplishment.
In the 55th minute, Friars’ fifth-year forward Amber Birchwell scored on a header off a corner kick. Six minutes later, sophomore forward Meg Hughes scored on a breakaway, placing the shot high enough that Burke could only get her fingertips on it. Providence sophomore forward Kyla Gallagher capped it off in the 63rd minute by weaving through three Stony Brook defenders for Providence’s fourth goal.
Sunday was a similar story. Burke’s five saves kept things close, but the Seawolves took three shots compared to Colorado’s 18. Both of the Buffaloes’ goals came on headers, which the Pac-12 school converted with their players’ height advantage over the Seawolves.
Burke also provided the game’s most impressive play with a save in the 59th minute. Buffaloes forward Tessa Barton placed the shot just under the top crossbar, but Burke punched the ball upwards and out to keep the score 1-0.
Big save from Burke!
🌊🐺 x #AEWSOC pic.twitter.com/1Yh6HRfQsn
— Stony Brook Women’s Soccer (@StonyBrookWSOC) September 5, 2021
Burke now has a .733 save percentage on the season.
Stony Brook will look to end its skid against Fairleigh Dickinson this Thursday before beginning a three-game homestand that includes a conference matchup with Albany.
Jeremy Portnoy
Jeremy is the editor-in-chief of The Statesman and a third-year English student at Stony Brook University. He previously served as the newspaper’s assistant sports editor for three semesters. Jeremy also covers the New York Giants for SB Nation and has written for five other publications.
