Eagles celebrate with NCAA championship trophy.

After three consecutive, but unsuccessful, trips to the NCAA women’s lacrosse national championship game, the Eagles seized the national title today, beating ACC foe Syracuse, 16-10.

After taking a 9-8 lead into halftime, BC scored the first three goals of the second half and outscored the Orange 7-2 in the half.

L-R: Coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, senior Charlotte North, and the NCAA women’s lacrosse championship trophy.

Senior Charlotte North scored six goals in the game, setting the NCAA record for goals in a season at 102. Goalie Rachel Hall made nine saves on Syracuse’s 19 shots.

This is the sixth national championship won by Boston College, with the other five coming in men’s hockey. Coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein joins hockey coaches Jerry York and John “Snooks” Kelley as the only BC coaches to lead their teams to national titles.

Senior Charlotte North, left, celebrates one of her eight goals today against Notre Dame. John Quackenbos photo

Aided by record-setting performances, BC Lacrosse routed Notre Dame today, 21-10, in a NCAA tournament quarterfinal played at the Newton Lacrosse and Soccer Field.

The Eagles will thus play in their fourth straight Final Four of the national tournament. They had played in the last three consecutive championship games, finishing #2 in the country each time.

Senior Charlotte North, who played her first two seasons at Duke, scored eight goals and had one assist. Her total of 23 goals in the first three games of the tournament this year establishes the record for goals in an entire tournament. North has 94 goals for the season, tying Sam Apuzzo’s BC record, and is six short of the NCAA record of 100.

Freshman Belle Smith scored three goals and an assist in the game to bring her season point total to 59, most ever for a BC freshman. Junior Jenn Medjid scored five goals today.

BC travels to Towson, Md., for championship weekend. The Eagles meet #1 North Carolina Friday, May 28, at 9 am (PT), with telecast on ESPNU. The Tarheels beat BC 21-9 back in early March.

Three of the teams in the Final Four are from the ACC: BC, North Carolina, and Syracuse. Northwestern from the Big 10 fills out the field. The teams in the Final Four are also the top four teams in national rankings.

BC only lost to North Carolina and Syracuse during the season for their 16-3 record.