Boston College lacrosse outdueled Yale University for the win on Wednesday afternoon, rebounding from a tough weekend loss to the No. 2 University of North Carolina with a 19-12 win over the Bulldogs. The Eagles (9-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast) actually fell behind early in the game, but recovered to earn the victory over Yale (5-5, 1-2 Ivy League).
The Bulldogs struck first, scoring on Zoe Ochoa less than two minutes into play. Lily Smith tested a shot on Ochoa, who secured the save. The Eagles failed to clear the ball, however, and Hope Hanley scooped it up and fired it past Ochoa for the first goal of the game.
BC refused to let itself become fazed—the Eagles then scored seven-straight goals to take a commanding lead over Yale. BC tied the game up several minutes after Yale’s tally when Kayla O’Connor netted her 27th goal of the season. 12 seconds of game time later, Sam Apuzzo connected with Kate Weeks for another goal on Yale goalie Sydney Marks. The two quick goals built momentum for the Eagles and reversed the score, boosting BC from a deficit to a one-goal lead over the Bulldogs.
With just under 20 minutes to go in the first half, Marks saved another shot from O’Connor. Undaunted, O’Connor scooped the ball up and fired another shot past Marks, tallying her second goal of the game and cushioning BC’s lead to 3-1. O’Connor found the stat sheet again when she assisted Laura Frankenfield’s goal less than a minute later.
Weeks continued the scoring frenzy by scoring two-straight goals, including one assisted by Kenzie Kent. BC’s scoring streak ended with Kent assisting Kaileen Hart on a goal, giving BC a 7-1 lead over the Bulldogs.
Yale fought back, stealing two goals back from the Eagles to cut into the deficit. Hannah Hyatt committed a foul, giving the Bulldogs a free position shot on Ochoa. Madeleine Gramigna handled the shot and managed to find the back of the net, beating Ochoa on the attempt. Tess McEvoy then scored the first of her three goals, bringing the score to 7-3.
With eight and a half minutes to go, Emily Granger committed a foul, giving BC a free-position shot opportunity. Apuzzo handled it with ease, sending the ball flying past Marks to disrupt Yale’s momentum and build up the lead. Minutes later, Emily Markham committed a foul, gifting the Eagles with another free-position shot chance. This time, it was Kent’s turn to find the back of the net and boost the Eagles’ lead to 9-3.
Yale closed out the half by scoring two-straight goals to cut into the lead and control momentum heading into halftime. Kiwi Comizio scored both goals, with one coming off a free-position shot and the other just six seconds away from halftime.
The Bulldogs maintained their momentum at the start of the second half, testing second-half goalie Lauren Daly frequently and coming within one goal of BC. McEvoy started the rally for Yale after capitalizing on a busy period in front of Daly’s goal.
Granger found herself with the ball and an open look at the net, but her shot sailed wide. Izzy Nixon took possession of the ball and shot on Daly, who saved it. The Eagles failed to clear the ball out, however, and when McEvoy found herself with possession, she didn’t waste her opportunity, sending it past Daly for the first goal of the second half. Several minutes later, Comizio scored again, securing a hat trick on the day and bringing the score to 9-7, BC.
The Eagles finally scored their first goal of the second half, disrupting Yale’s momentum, with just under 19 minutes to go. Hart scored her 23rd goal of the year, an unassisted shot past Marks.
The Bulldogs, unfazed, scored two quick goals thanks to McEvoy, coming within one goal of the Eagles. McEvoy first assisted Comizio before scoring a goal herself, bringing the score to 10-9, BC.
Fortunately for the Eagles, it was time for another period of total domination similar to the first-half seven-goal outburst. This time, BC scored six-straight to pull away and establish a multi-goal lead that would hold steady for the rest of the game. Frankenfield, O’Connor, Weeks, and Hart all tallied one goal each, with Apuzzo adding two, over a roughly four-minute period to cushion BC’s lead to 16-9.
Gramigna stole one back, cutting into BC’s lead, but a yellow card on Yale’s Marisa Crensham gave BC an advantage for two minutes, and the Eagles capitalized on their greater numbers to boost their lead even more. Weeks and O’Connor each netted a goal during Crensham’s penalty minutes, with both goals assisted by Apuzzo.
The final three and a half minutes of play saw Yale score twice—Barrett Carlson and Comizio each scored—and BC net one more goal courtesy of Caroline Zaffino. At the end of play, BC held a 19-12 lead.
Featured Image by Celine Lim / Heights Staff
