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Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
NCAA championship weekend at Gillette Stadium takes BC women's lacrosse back to where it all began
'We had no business being there,' Walker-Weinstein said. 'But even back then, there was not a moment that was too big for our girls.' Advertisement That weekend at Gillette Stadium eight years ago set in motion the current era of BC lacrosse, one that includes two national titles — including last season — and eight consecutive trips to the Final Four, seven of which have ended in the championship game. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In this 2017 photo, BC goalie Lauren Daly jumps to hug teammates Brooke Troy and Carly Bell after they defeated Navy in the NCAA semifinal. Elise Amendola The second-seeded Eagles will return to Foxborough on Friday (5:30 p.m., ESPNU) to face Northwestern in the national semifinals with a chance to become the first team since Maryland in 2014 and '15 to go back to back. But just like in 2017, Walker-Weinstein doesn't feel like she's under pressure. She's excited, proud of what her team has done already. She feels hungry for more. 'It's not about repeating,' Walker-Weinstein said. 'It's about winning this year. The only time we talk about repeating is when we try to put something in front of the girls as a challenge to accomplish something they haven't done yet.' Advertisement Since defying expectations in the 2017 tournament, BC has become a national powerhouse, a producer of two Tewaaraton Award winners, and a yearly favorite to win it all. Be that as it may, Walker-Weinstein and her team are approaching the weekend as though they are the underdogs. Related : The Eagles lost twice this year, both times to top-seeded North Carolina: once during the regular season and once in the final of the ACC tournament. The losses exposed their cracks, Walker-Weinstein said, and encouraged her players to realize that they're not untouchable. She expects people outside the program will count her team out. 'I like that position,' she said. 'I know my girls will respond to that.' BC beat Northwestern, 13-9, in the teams' only meeting this year, in February, but Walker-Weinstein started her film study for the rematch with a blank slate. She doesn't want her team to use past success against the Wildcats as an indicator of future performance. 'Northwestern is better now than they were back in February,' Walker-Weinstein said. 'We just know we have to be better, too.' The Eagles' semifinal matchup is a repeat of last year's title game, when Northwestern surged to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, before BC mounted a furious comeback to win, 14-13. 'A comeback like that against such a great team is proof that those things are possible,' Walker-Weinstein said. 'It's also proof that no lead is safe.' The Eagles will have to contend with Northwestern junior Madison Taylor, who scored three goals in that February game and leads the nation in goals (105) and points (146). Limiting Taylor and controlling the pace of the game will be crucial for the Eagles. Advertisement BC will counter with senior attack Rachel Clark, whose 103 goals this season trail only Taylor. Clark, Taylor, and BC goalkeeper Shea Dolce, along with the North Carolina sister duo of Ashley and Chloe Humphrey, are the finalists for the Tewaaraton Award, awarded to the top player in the nation. On the other side of the bracket, No. 4 Florida will face North Carolina on Friday at 3 p.m. on ESPNU. The winners will face off for the title on Sunday at noon on ESPN. The Tar Heels will be a favorite to return to the national title game, carrying a 20-0 record into the weekend. They beat the Gators, 14-9, when the teams met in February. Andrea Reynolds (left) and McKenna Davis celebrate with Belle Smith (right) during the NCAA championship game in 2024. Steven Worthy Emma Healy can be reached at
Boston Globe
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Your guide to the NCAA lacrosse championships at Gillette Stadium: Boston College women and Tufts men aim to defend titles
Cornell, Penn State, Maryland, and Syracuse make up the men's Division 1 field. The Division 2 men's championship will be contested by Adelphi and Tampa, before the Tufts men look to defend their Division 3 national title against Dickinson College. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Here's everything you need to know about the coming celebration of collegiate lacrosse in Foxborough: Advertisement NCAA lacrosse championships schedule The Division 1 semifinals will take place on Friday and Saturday, before the championship games on Sunday and Monday. The matchups for the Division 2 and 3 title games are set. Friday, May 23 Division 1 women's semifinals: North Carolina vs. Florida, 3 p.m. Division 1 women's semifinals: Boston College vs. Northwestern, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 24 Division 1 men's semifinals: Cornell vs. Penn State, 12 p.m. Division 1 men's semifinals: Maryland vs. Syracuse, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 25 Division 1 women's championship: 12 p.m. Advertisement Division 2 men's championship: Adelphi vs. Tampa, 4 p.m. Division 3 men's championship: Tufts vs. Dickinson, 7 p.m. Monday, May 26 Division 1 men's championship: 1 p.m. Division 1 women's lacrosse championship preview Boston College has become a women's lacrosse powerhouse under The Eagles were often the bridesmaids early in Walker-Weinstein's tenure, losing to Maryland in the national championship game in The second-ranked Eagles can get that same revenge against No. 1 North Carolina this year — the That matchup will feature the nation's two best goal scorers, with BC's Rachel Clark (103 goals this season) and Northwestern's Madison Taylor (105) the only players to crack 90. Both are finalists for the Tewaaraton Award as the country's best player, a list that also includes North Carolina will be a favorite to return to the national title game as the Tar Heels take a 20-0 record into this weekend. They topped the Gators, 14-9, when the teams met in February. Advertisement Division 1 men's lacrosse championship preview The Division 1 men's lacrosse season comes down to four teams, with Cornell, Maryland, Penn State, and Syracuse vying for the national championship. Top-seeded Cornell and Tewaaraton Award finalist CJ Kirst, comfortably the country's leading goal scorer (76) and point producer (108), are searching for the program's first national title since 1977, a stretch that has included five title-game losses (including one as recently as 2022). The Big Red will take on No. 4 Penn State, to which Cornell suffered its first loss of the season in overtime in March. The other semifinal will pit No. 2 Maryland against No. 6 Syracuse. The Terrapins beat the Orange, 11-7, in February. Division 2 men's lacrosse championship preview Long one of the dominant forces in Division 2 men's lacrosse, Adelphi can extend its record for national championships with a ninth on Sunday, which would also see the Panthers go back to back. Adelphi reached the final after scraping past Saint Anselm, 13-11, in the semifinals. That came just two weeks after Adelphi beat the Hawks in overtime of the Northeast-10 title game. While Adelphi chases a ninth title, the other finalist, Tampa, is after a second. The Spartans won the title in 2022 and carry a 21-0 record into Sunday's championship. Division 3 men's lacrosse championship preview The Tufts men's team is chasing perfection, as the 22-0 Jumbos are set to defend their Division 3 national championship against Dickinson College. Tufts shook off a fall of controversy — Advertisement Tufts will take on Dickinson, which is making its first appearance in the national championship, having never reached the final eight before this season. History of NCAA lacrosse championships at Gillette Stadium The home of the Patriots is no stranger to hosting top collegiate lacrosse, with this year's championship marking the sixth time Gillette Stadium has hosted the Division 1 men's championship, all since 2008. It's the second time Gillette has hosted the Division 1 women's championships, as the two were also held concurrently in 2017. The Division 3 men's championships have been held at the same site as the Division 1 championships since 1992, with Division 2 joining the weekend starting in 1998. Gillette has been a successful host for the championships, with the 2008 title game between Syracuse and Johns Hopkins The partnership has been successful enough for Gillette to be awarded not only this year's men's lacrosse championship, but also the men's finales for 2026 and Amin Touri can be reached at
Boston Globe
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Boston College women's lacrosse looking to bounce back in NCAA Tournament after ACC championship loss
For Walker-Weinstein and her players, attention to detail and team chemistry are the areas of emphasis going into the tournament. 'I think we have to learn how to handle heart a little bit better,' she said. 'I think they'll be really keen on making changes and just adjusting and digging a little deeper." Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Before the loss in the ACC championship, Boston College was the top-scoring offense in the nation with more than 17 goals a game and a shooting percentage nearing .500. Advertisement Nonetheless, players believe there's still room for improvement. 'When it comes down to games and preparation for games, any extra inch that we can get, any extra edge that we can find is what's going to push us there,' said senior attack McKenna Davis. Related : Davis is one of the top scorers on the team and is entering her second NCAA Tournament after an all-tournament performance last season leading the nation and the ACC in assists. Advertisement She said seeing a stronger grit and push from her teammates will give Boston College the edge in the tournament. 'Whether that's a ground ball, extra possession, extra step on a shot, it's going to come down to the little things and being able to find the little things,' Davis said. With the only two loses on the season coming against North Carolina, Boston College is ready for the competition it expects to see in the tournament. After beating opponents by an average of 10 goals and holding most of them to fewer than 10 goals a game over the course of the season, 'everyone is a target,' said graduate student and defense player Morgan Smith. Coming into her third tournament and first with Boston College, Smith said the biggest motivator is the win-or-go-home stakes. 'It's all about just fighting for one more day,' she said. 'I've reached a level of competitiveness that I didn't even know I had.' The three teams ranked just below the Eagles (Northwestern, Princeton, and Florida) also have just two losses. 'First round of NCAAs, whoever it is will be the focus,' Walker-Weinstein said. The NCAA selection show is at 9 p.m. on Sunday (televised on ESPNU). Twenty-nine teams will make the field, and first-round games will be on May 9. The semifinals and final will be held May 23 and 25 at Gillette Stadium, which will also host the final four of the NCAA men's lacrosse tournament on May 24 and 26. Auzzy Byrdsell can be reached at
