BC women’s lacrosse, #2 seed in the NCAA championship tournament, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 21-16 win over Princeton today. They are to play Michigan Thursday, May 16, on the Newton Campus. If they defeat the Wolverines, BC would advance to their seventh straight Final Four.

The offense today was distributed, as six players scored a hat trick or more. Senior Belle Smith scored five goals, a season-high. Junior McKenna Davis led the team with a total of seven points, adding four assist to her three goals.

The teams were tied 7-7 in the middle of the second period when BC began a 7-0 scoring run that went into the third period. During that span, the Eagles scored three goals in 30 seconds to go into halftime with a 13-9 lead.

The lead expanded to 16-9 in the third period, but the Tigers scored the next four goals to get within three entering the final period. BC scored the next four goals, Princeton the next three, and BC had the final tally with 2:15 left.

Junior Rachel Clark, junior Emma LoPinto, and senior Andrea Reynolds each had three goals and one assist. Grad student Cassidy Weeks added three goals.

Sophomore goalie Shea Dolce had 10 saves, eight in the second half.

The Eagles move to 17-3 for the season.

The Boston College women’s lacrosse team will begin play in its 11th straight NCAA championship tournament on Sunday, May 12. The Eagles, seeded #2 in the tournament, will play the winner of the opening round match between Drexel and Princeton at home.

BC qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2013, coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein’s first season as coach of the Eagles. They have played in every tournament since (the 2020 season was canceled because of covid).

In post-season ACC honors announced May 1, four Eagles were recognized:
• Senior Belle Smith repeated as midfielder of the year
• Senior Sydney Scales also repeated as defender of the year
• Sophomore Shea Dolce was named goalie of the year
• Acacia Walker-Weinstein was named co-coach of the year

Boston College defended its ACC championship in women’s lacrosse this morning, defeating #1 seed Syracuse 15-8 to take the title again. The Eagles had defeated #2 seed Notre Dame 9-7 Friday in the semifinal.

The Eagles shut down the high-scoring Orange in the second half, allowing them only one goal while scoring eight. The score was 7-7 at the half. Syracuse had come to the championship game after beating Virginia, 19-4.

Syracuse scored the first goal of the game after only 13 seconds, led 5-1, and finished the first quarter ahead 5-3.

Senior Kayla Martello led the Eagles with six goals and one assist. Junior Emma LoPinto added three goals, with two assists, and junior McKenna Davis scored two goals, with three assists. Others scoring goals were junior Rachel Clark, senior Belle Smith, grad student Cassidy Weeks, and freshman Molly Driscoll.

Sophomore goalie Shea Dolce stopped 10 of the 18 shots on goal by Syracuse.

The Eagles (16-3) (7-2) move on to their 11th straight NCAA tournament and perhaps their seventh straight Final Four.