Boston College lacrosse experienced an unfamiliar result against a familiar opponent in Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Second Round. With the Eagles’ 21-10 drubbing of the No. 9 Orange (15-7), they advanced to their second-ever Elite Eight and beat their ACC foes for the first time in the postseason. They’ll host Southern California at Newton Campus Field on Saturday.
No. 14 BC (15-6) came out firing on all cylinders on the road with the season on the line. For the second-straight NCAA Tournament game, star midfielder Sam Apuzzo racked up seven points to help lead the team’s explosive offense. Kate Weeks did her usual damage up front, tallying her 15th hat trick to bring her season goal total to 69.
Trailing 3-2 early in the match, the Eagles rattled off a 9-2 run that gave them a commanding lead entering halftime. After the break, they scored three-consecutive goals to push their lead to 15-7. BC increased its advantage to 20-9 before the teams traded goals in the final five minutes of the contest. Kayla O’Connor and Kenzie Kent added three goals apiece in an overall dominant performance from the attack.
While the offense was nearly unstoppable, the defense deserves credit, too. Zoe Ochoa held the Orange to seven goals in the first half before Lauren Daly replaced her in the second half. Together, they combined for 13 saves, and Daly even kept Syracuse scoreless over a 13-minute stretch in the second half.
Once again, Acacia Walker’s squad exceeded expectations. Apuzzo is one of the nation’s best players, as evidenced by her eight-straight hat tricks. Weeks creates matchup problems with nearly every defense. If Sunday’s victory was any indication, this team may find itself in Gillette Stadium at the end of the month for championship rounds in its own backyard.
Featured Image by Amelie Trieu / Heights Editor
