Comm. Ave. has had a busy week. From snowstorms to collegiate rivalries, there has hardly been a dull moment. Despite all this, one thing remained constant: The Eagles have been soaring.
Boston College men’s hockey brought the Beanpot back to the Heights, taking down Boston University on Monday night. The women’s team followed suit the next evening, beating Northeastern and earning BC a clean sweep in the tournament.
As the sun rose Wednesday, focus then turned to Sunday, when BC lacrosse was set to begin its 25th season. And what better way to start the season than travelling down the illustrious thoroughfare that is Comm. Ave. to take on archrival BU?
Originally scheduled for Valentine’s Day, the 17th matchup between the teams was rightfully moved, as there is clearly no love in this relationship. Forecasted temperatures of below zero caused the game to be moved to Friday at 3 p.m., which was no problem for the Eagles in an 18-9 victory.
Obviously, this was a game the team was fired up for. But for some, there was a little more meaning. One such player is Sam Apuzzo, a freshman middie from West Babylon, N.Y. After piling up numerous accolades in high school, like recognition as a two-time United States Lacrosse All-American and Under Armour All-American, Apuzzo was poised for greatness at the collegiate level. In her first collegiate start, the freshman netted four goals on eight shots, offering a glimpse into the bright future that this team has.
Then there is senior middie Caroline Margolis, a Raleigh, N.C. native, who has a history of success in maroon and gold. Named an Inside Lacrosse Preseason Second Team All-American and recipient of a 2016 ACC Postgraduate Scholarship, this Eagle came into the season opener soaring. On Friday, she only flew higher. In a seamless transition from last season’s performance of 37 goals and 28 assists, Margolis netted four goals on five shots and added an assist for five points. As her final season begins, she showed on Friday that she is going to make it count.
Apuzzo and Margolis combined for nine total points, but there were many more to be had by the Eagles. Six other girls added points to the total, with four of those recording a multiple point-scoring game. This high-scoring affair had to begin somewhere. After 1:16 of play, Sarah Mannelly, a Tewaaraton finalist, did just this and netted the first goal, giving the Eagles the lead. This is a lead the maroon and gold would not give up.
Much to the dismay of the Terriers, the offense is not the only side of the field the Eagles dominated. The defense allowed just nine goals, bolstered by a solid performance from junior goalkeeper Zoe Ochoa. The Longmeadow, Mass. native recorded eight saves on 16 shots on net. Freshman Lauren Daly replaced her late in the game, recording one save on two shots on net.
BC and BU have met 17 times in the history of the two programs. Before today, the series was tied at 8-8. Today, the Eagles leaped to the winning side of this heated rivalry, bringing the series to 9-8. A season opener that includes beating your nemesis 18-9 is quite the way to bring in the new year of competition. No. 9 BC hopes to have the same success of its debut performance as it prepares for difficult ACC play and another bid in the NCAA Tournament.
Featured Image by Amalie Trieu / Heights Staff
