BC’s women’s lacrosse team makes its first visit to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament next weekend at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. The #14 Eagles (16-6) punched their ticket to the national semifinals with a 20-14 win today over #7 Southern California (18-4).

Eagles storm the field to join teammates in celebration.

USC entered the game with the nation’s 2nd-best defense, allowing an average of only 7.5 goals per game. The Eagles’s offense was in high gear early and often, starting out with a 3-0 lead at the Newton Campus Fields. The first half ended with BC up 10-5. USC twice cut the Eagles’ lead to 3 (10-7 and 15-12), but BC outscored the Trojans 5-2 over the last 14:10 of the game to reach the final tally.

Kenzie Kent

This was BC’s 3rd consecutive 20-goal game in this year’s NCAA tournament and the Eagles scored more goals than the Trojans had ever allowed. The Eagles outshot USC 38-25. Junior Kenzie Kent led BC with 6 goals (2 assists). Seniors Kate Weeks and Kayla O’Connor and junior Kaileen Hart added  3 goals each, with Weeks assisting on 6 goals, O’Connor 1, and Hart 4. BC’s top scorer this season, sophomore Sam Apuzzo, had 2 goals, bringing her BC single season record to 109, and 2 assists.

Senior goalie Zoe Ochoa had 2 saves in the opening half and sophomore Lauren Daly had 6 in the second half.

The Eagles meet unranked Navy Friday at Gillette. The Midshipmen defeated #3 North Carolina Saturday.