Boston College Women's Lacrosse Falls To Syracuse, 11-9, In NCAA Tournament Quaterfinals

On Saturday, the Boston College women's lacrosse season came to an end in the Carrier Dome as the #2 ranked Syracuse notched an 11-9 victory over the Eagles. With the win, the Orange (20-2) are on to the NCAA Tournament Final Four while the Eagles (15-6) regular season comes to an end.

Things were looking up for Boston College early on, as the Eagles jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead over the game's first ten minutes. But the Orange stormed back to knot the game at 3-3 and then 4-4. Syracuse would score the final two goals of the half to take a 6-4 lead into the locker room; a lead they'd later extend to 8-4 over the first 5:11 of the second half. That proved too great of a deficit to overcome.

Syracuse would go up by three goals with 3:46 left in the game, but consecutive Eagles goals cut the deficit to one with one minute remaining. SU's Natalie Glanell netted the dagger with 20 seconds left to give SU an 11-9 victory and punch the Orange's ticket to the Final Four.

Boston College senior attacker Moira Barry paced the Eagles with a game-high five points. In addition to Barry, Covie Stanwick (3 goals), Brooke Blue (1) and Sarah Mannelly (1) notched goals for BC.

BC lost to Syracuse by an identical 11-9 score when these programs last met in Newton on February 26. The program has yet to solve the Orange, falling to 0-12 all-time vs. 'Cuse.

Despite the setback, there are clear signs that head coach Acacia Walker has this program on its way to becoming one of the ACC's, and by extension, the nation's, premier programs. The Eagles are coming off their third ever trip to the NCAA Tournament; all three appearances have come in the last four years. BC's 15-6 record is the best in program history. Even against Syracuse, a program that has dominated BC over the years -- the all-time series was 10-0 SU with an average goal differential of 8 (!) heading into the year -- the Eagles dropped a pair of two goal games to a team that's only lost twice all season -- both times to ACC champion and national title favorite Maryland. There's plenty of cause for optimism heading into next season.

For Syracuse, the Orange advance to the National semifinal to take on a familiar foe, the #6 seeded Virginia Cavaliers. Syracuse won the first meeting at Virginia, 18-14, back on February 23. The other National semifinal pits the top seeded Maryland Terrapins against future Big Ten conference foe, Northwestern.