Boston College Women’s Lacrosse Advances to Final Four

It will feel like a home game next week at Gillette Stadium as the Boston College women’s lacrosse team advanced to the final four with a 20-14 victory over USC. The win, BC’s 16th of the season, surpasses the team’s previous program high of 15 victories in a season.

It was the second ever Elite Eight game for the Eagles, who will now face Navy at 7:30 p.m. It was the first time BC had hosted an elite eight game. Two-sport athlete Kenzie Kent tallied a career-high six goals in the victory, while senior Kate Weeks added nine points.

Kent joined the team midway through the season after participating with the women’s hockey team in their Final Four run, but she picked up right where she left off with a career day. She had eight points in total.

BC has continued to score, with their third straight game of 20 goals or more, decimating the USC defense that ranked in the top five in the nation. It was the first time the Trojans had ever allowed 20 goals in program history.

The Eagles scored ten goals by the half, and added another ten in the second half. The 18-4 Trojans weren’t able to score until about halfway through the first half, as the Eagles exploded to a 3-0 lead and were able to hold on.

At the half, BC held a 10-5 advantage, and led by that five goal margin for much of the opening half. USC scored the first two goals of the half, and it looked like the Trojans were going to go on a run, but the Eagles shut them down with the next three tallies. From that point on, it was all Eagles.

The closest USC was able to get to the 16-6 Eagles was a three-goal deficit. The combo of Weeks and Kaileen Hart dominated the opening half, contributing to the first nine goals of the game.

It was a 15-12 lead for BC before the Eagles were able to outscore USC by a 5-2 margin for the remainder of the game.

Sam Apuzzo scored the last goal of the game with less than two minutes left, and from there, the Eagles knew they were heading to the Final Four. Lauren Daly made six saves in net Elizabeth Miller led with three draw controls.

Michaela Michael, the leading scorer for USC, was held to just two points. Her 77 goals this season led the nation, so not only was the Eagles offense on its game, but the defense also prevented the Trojans from getting back into the contest.

The Eagles are the only local team that will take part in the Final Four on the women’s side from Gillette. For a first ever Final Four appearance, it couldn’t be at a better place for the Eagles.