No. 10 Boston College lacrosse put up a tough fight in the final quarter of Saturday afternoon’s matchup versus Virginia.
Rattling off four consecutive woman-up goals, BC (8–6, 5–3 Atlantic Coast) pulled within one of Virginia (7–8, 5–4), but the Cavaliers slammed the door shut, escaping with a 17–14 ACC victory.
Any hope of a BC comeback appeared to evaporate in the opening three minutes of the fourth quarter.
Virginia looked like a team that wanted to end the drama early.
Fiona Allen wasted no time, finding the back of the net just 31 seconds into the quarter to push Virginia’s lead to 12–9.
BC’s Julia Hodell picked up a yellow card on the play, leaving the Eagles shorthanded.
The Cavaliers capitalized immediately with Gabby LaVerghetta converting off a Kate Galica assist to make it 13–9, and Madison Alaimo added another man-up goal to stretch it to 14–9.
The Eagles called a timeout, staring down a five-goal deficit with just over 12 minutes to play.
What followed was a stretch of offensive dominance that kept BC within striking distance. Giulia Colarusso got the rally started at 9:14, notching her fourth goal of the game to make it 14–10.
Abbey Herod won the draw, allowing the Eagles to keep the pressure on. When Virginia’s Kate Demark picked up a green card, the Eagles pounced on the opportunity.
Marissa White converted a man-up goal off a Molly Driscoll assist to pull it to 14–11.
The Eagles wanted more. A Livy LaVerghetta yellow card gave BC another power-play opportunity, and although Elyse Finnelle turned away Driscoll’s free-position shot, the Eagles stayed relentless.
Hanna Davis converted a man-up free-position goal to make it 14–12, and moments later, Kylee Colbert finished off another man-up opportunity off a Casey Colbert assist to pull BC within one at 14–13.
After four consecutive man-up goals and a five-goal deficit erased in under seven minutes, Virginia was desperate to call a timeout.
But to the Cavaliers’ credit, they did not flinch.
After BC’s foul on Shea Baker gave Virginia a free-position chance, Kate Galicia buried the shot off a Jenna DiNardo assist to push the lead back to two at 15–13.
Less than a minute later, Allen struck again to make it 16–13, and suddenly the window for the Eagles had closed.
BC pulled goalie Shea Dolce in the final minutes in a last-gasp effort, and Avery Hudson found the back of the net to make it 16–14 with just over two minutes remaining, keeping a sliver of hope alive.
But Hodell’s second card of the game left the Eagles shorthanded again, and Galica made them pay one final time—a man-up goal that sealed it at 17–14.
