BC Spoils Syracuse's Perfect Season, Clinches ACC's Top Seed

In case you forgot about Boston College — a team that has advanced to the last five NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse championship games and won it all in 2021 — the Eagles served up a stunning reminder Thursday that they are very much in the title race.

BC spoiled Syracuse’s perfect season and Meaghan Tyrrell’s historic night, erasing a six-goal deficit and scoring two goals in the final three minutes to defeat the top-ranked Orange 17-16 at sold-out SU Soccer Stadium.

The sixth-ranked Eagles (13-3, 8-1) clinched the ACC regular season title and will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Syracuse (15-1, 8-1) will be the No. 2 seed.

Third-ranked Denver (15-0) is the lone remaining unbeaten in Division I women’s lacrosse.

Coach Kayla Treanor wanted the Orange to get used to playing at SU Soccer Stadium rather than the JWA Wireless Dome, which will be occupied during the NCAA tournament due to Syracuse’s graduation, according to Syracuse Post-Standard writer Brent Axe.

In a playoff-like atmosphere under the lights at the 1,500-seat venue, Syracuse appeared well on its way to its 16th straight win when it scored six unanswered goals in the first quarter. The Orange led by as many as six in the third quarter and got an emotional lift when Tyrrell surpassed Katie Rowan as the school’s all-time leading scorer on an assist to her sister, Emma Tyrrell.

But BC clawed its way back into the game with its own sister act. Cassidy Weeks and Courtney Weeks scored 46 seconds apart to tie the game at 15. After Sierra Cockerille scored to put Syracuse back up by one, Cassidy Weeks scored again on an assist from Jenn Medjid to knot it at 16 apiece.

Belle Smith (two goals, five assists) threaded a feed from behind the goal to Mckenna Davis, who scored her fourth goal while fading backward to put the Eagles ahead 17-16. Ryan Smith won the ensuing draw and BC held on for the win.

BOSTON COLLEGE ENDS SYRACUSE’S PERFECT REGULAR SEASON.

McKenna Davis scores the eventual winner to seal @BCwlax’s 17-16 win over @CuseWLAX. pic.twitter.com/uOVBodM5QR

— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) April 21, 2023

It wasn’t the only ACC thriller Thursday. Down in Durham, No. 5 North Carolina trailed unranked Duke 11-10 in the fourth quarter before freshman midfielder Kaleigh Harden scored consecutive unassisted goals and the Tar Heels hung on for a 13-12 victory.

In Big Ten play, meanwhile, Rutgers rallied from a five-goal fourth quarter deficit and defeated Ohio State 13-12 in overtime. Freshman Lily Dixon scored with 49 seconds left in OT to win it. Three of Dixon’s game-high four goals came during the Scarlet Knights’ 6-0 run to end the game.

THURSDAY SCORES

No. 6 Boston College 17, No. 1 Syracuse 16
No. 18 Clemson 17, Pitt 7
Jacksonville 13, Coastal Carolina 7
Liberty 19, Kennesaw State 5
Lindenwood 17, Delaware State 6
No. 5 North Carolina 13, Duke 12
No. 7 Notre Dame 15, Louisville 9
Queens (N.C.) 16, Stetson 12
Rutgers 13, Ohio State 12 (OT)
No. 14 Virginia 15, Virginia Tech 10