Boston College beats Syracuse to win the 2021 DI women's lacrosse championship
Boston College beats Syracuse to win the 2021 national title
This time, Boston College wouldn't be denied one step short.
After losing in the national championship three consecutive seasons, No. 4 BC won its first national championship by defeating No. 3 Syracuse, 16-10, Monday in Towson, Maryland.
The Eagles (18-3) fell in the final 2017 through 2019, but this time BC finished the run with the title trophy.
Charlotte North led BC with six goals, setting a single-season goals record with 101 — and later got 102. But she didn't do it alone. Jenn Medjid, Belle Smith, Courtney Weeks and Cara Urbank all scored two goals, while Caitlynn Mossman had four assists and Rachel Hall made nine saves.
BC led 9-8 at the half and held Syracuse without a second-half goal for more than 12 minutes. After Syracuse did finally break through, North scored No. 101 about one minute later.
BC's Charlotte North breaks single-season goals record
Charlotte North stands above everyone else.
The BC leader set the NCAA DI single-season goals record when her fifth goal of the title game pushed her to 101 for the season. That moved her in front of the previous record holder, Stony Brook's Courtney Murphy in 2016.
North's historic goal made it 13-9 Eagles.
Record Breaker.
— BC Women's Lacrosse (@BCwlax) May 30, 2021
101. pic.twitter.com/i3KaAvjlGj
Here's what the single-season list looked like going into this year:
North ties record to help Boston College near title
Boston College leads Syracuse 12-9 with 17:44 remaining in the game.
It took Syracuse more than 12 minutes to get on board in the second half. By that point, BC stretched its one-goal halftime lead to four and star Charlotte North tied the NCAA DI record for goals in a season (100).
Caitlynn Mossman has also come through for BC, totaling one goal and four assists.
And that's No. 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣! pic.twitter.com/6sQTv5nZ3l
— BC Women's Lacrosse (@BCwlax) May 30, 2021
Boston College leads 9-8 at the half as North nears goals record
Boston College is nearing its first national title, though Syracuse isn't far behind as BC leads 9-8 at the half.
Eagles star Charlotte North had three goals in the first half, leaving her one shy of tying the NCAA DI record for goals in a season (Stony Brook's Courtney Murphy had 100 in 2016).
BC led 3-1 but then didn't score for 12:20, allowing Syracuse to move out in front. But the Eagles' 3-for-3 start on woman-up chances helped push it into the lead into the break.
Emma Ward and Sam Swart both scored twice for Syracuse in the first half. Asa Goldstock also became Syracuse's all-time saves leader, reaching 661 in her career.
TOUGH 😤😤😤
— Syracuse Women's Lacrosse (@CuseWLAX) May 30, 2021
Watch on ESPNU pic.twitter.com/T4YILouK2A
Championship history
| YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | SCORE | RUNNER-UP | SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 12-10 | Boston College | Baltimore, Md. |
| 2018 | James Madison | Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe | 16-15 | Boston College | Stony Brook, N.Y. |
| 2017 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 16-13 | Boston College | Foxborough, Mass. |
| 2016 | North Carolina | Jenny Levy | 13-7 | Maryland | Chester, Pa. |
| 2015 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 9-8 | North Carolina | Chester, Pa. |
| 2014 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 15-12 | Syracuse | Towson, Md. |
| 2013 | North Carolina | Jenny Levy | 13-12 (3OT) | Maryland | Villanova |
| 2012 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 8-6 | Syracuse | Stony Brook |
| 2011 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 8-7 | Maryland | Stony Brook |
| 2010 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 13-11 | Northwestern | Towson |
| 2009 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 21-7 | North Carolina | Towson |
| 2008 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 10-6 | Penn | Towson |
| 2007 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 15-13 | Virginia | Penn |
| 2006 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 7-4 | Dartmouth | Boston University |
| 2005 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 13-10 | Virginia | Navy |
| 2004 | Virginia | Julie Myres | 10-4 | Princeton | Princeton |
| 2003 | Princeton | Chris Sailer | 8-7 (OT) | Virginia | Syracuse |
| 2002 | Princeton | Chris Sailer | 12-7 | Georgetown | Loyola (Md.) |
| 2001 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 14-13 (OT) | Georgetown | Johns Hopkins |
| 2000 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 16-8 | Princeton | TCNJ |
| 1999 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 16-6 | Virginia | Johns Hopkins |
| 1998 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 11-5 | Virginia | UMBC |
| 1997 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 8-7 | Loyola (Md.) | Lehigh |
| 1996 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 10-5 | Virginia | Lehigh |
| 1995 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 13-5 | Princeton | TCNJ |
| 1994 | Princeton | Chris Sailer | 10-7 | Maryland | Maryland |
| 1993 | Virginia | Jane Miller | 8-6 (OT) | Princeton | Maryland |
| 1992 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 11-10 (OT) | Havard | Lehigh |
| 1991 | Virginia | Jane Miller | 8-6 | Maryland | TCNJ |
| 1990 | Harvard | Carole Kleinfelder | 8-7 | Maryland | Princeton |
| 1989 | Penn State | Susan Scheetz | 7-6 | Harvard | West Chester |
| 1988 | Temple | Tina Sloan Green | 15-7 | Penn State | Haverford |
| 1987 | Penn State | Susan Scheetz | 7-6 | Temple | Maryland |
| 1986 | Maryland | Sue Tyler | 11-10 | Penn State | Maryland |
| 1985 | New Hampshire | Marisa Didio | 6-5 | Maryland | Penn |
| 1984 | Temple | Tina Sloan Green | 6-4 | Maryland | Boston University |
| 1983 | Delaware | Janet Smith | 10-7 | Temple | Penn |
| 1982 | Massachusetts | Pamela Hixon | 9-6 | TCNJ | TCNJ |
Note: Before 2001, this championship was a national collegiate championship.
Woman-up chances lift BC to small lead in first half
Boston College is now 3-for-3 on woman-up chances, giving BC a 5-4 edge with about 10 minutes to play in the first half.
The second woman-up goal ended a 12:20 scoring drought, as Jenn Medjid tied the game at 4. But BC then scored again 1:14 later on another woman-up tally, this one from Belle Smith.
No angle? NO PROBLEM!
— BC Women's Lacrosse (@BCwlax) May 30, 2021
Belle Smith puts us back on top! pic.twitter.com/cbecptsN05
Follow live: Syracuse vs. Boston College for the national title
Boston College and Syracuse are playing now on ESPNU, looking to make history and win their first national title.
You can click or tap here to follow along with live stats and play-by-play.
BC and Syracuse have finished runner-up in a combined five of the last eight national championships.
This also the fourth meeting between the two this season, with Syracuse taking two of the three games (L 14-13, W 16-7, W 19-17).
National championship: No. 3 Syracuse vs. No. 4 Boston College
For the fourth season in a row, Boston College is a finalist in the NCAA DI Women's Lacrosse Championship bracket, although the Eagles are seeking a national title after three consecutive national runner-up finishes. Across from them is fellow ACC foe Syracuse, which beat Boston College twice in three matchups this season. The Orange finished as the national runner-up in 2011 and 2014.
The national championship airs at 12 p.m. ET on ESPNU and WatchESPN.
Click or tap here to view the year-by-year history of the DI women's lacrosse championship.
Here's a look at the updated bracket.
Click or tap here to view the interactive bracket.
The 2021 DI women's lacrosse national championship is set
A first-time DI women's lacrosse champion will be crowned later today. No. 3 Syracuse faces No. 4 Boston College in the 2021 title game at 12 p.m. ET.
This is the Eagles' fourth straight appearance in the national championship and are looking for a different outcome after losing the previous three times. The Orange make their third title game appearance in school history, previously falling in the 2011 and 2014 finals. Syracuse took two out of the three head-to-head meetings with BC this season, most recently winning a 19-17 thriller in the ACC tournament semifinals.
Here's a look at the updated bracket.
Click or tap here to view the interactive bracket.
FINAL: Syracuse 21, Northwestern 13
No. 3 Syracuse topped No. 2 Northwestern, 21-13, on Friday in the second national semifinal of the 2021 DI women's lacrosse championship. The Orange dominated the first 30 minutes of play. But the Wildcats responded early in the second half.
Just as Northwestern was mounting a comeback, Syracuse threw the knockout punch. The Orange scored three goals in 64 seconds to turn a shrinking 15-12 lead into an 18-12 advantage. Prior that point, the Wildcats had scored the last four goals seemingly had all the momentum.
Syracuse will now face Boston College in the national championship. That game is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 30.
Headed to the Natty pic.twitter.com/o7HcgaPswc
— Syracuse Women's Lacrosse (@CuseWLAX) May 28, 2021
Below are the box scores for each team.
Syracuse
Northwestern
Click or tap here for the final stats.
Northwestern draws closer with back-to-back goals from Jane Hansen
The Wildcats, who trailed 10-4 at the break, have cut the Orange's lead in half. Northwestern has outscored Syracuse 8-5 in the second half, and trails 15-12 with 6:35 to play.
Jane Hansen scored two goals in less than two minutes to help the Wildcats draw closer.
Jane Hansen with the back-to-back goals for the Wildcats 😼
— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX) May 28, 2021
📺 @espn #NCAAWLAX x @NULax pic.twitter.com/q72qRpDhfg
HALF: Syracuse 10, Northwestern 4
Northwestern scored just 53 seconds into the game. But it was all Syracuse from that point on.
The Orange scored the next five goals, and would add five more before the first half ended. Syracuse led by as many as eight. However, the Wildcats chipped into their lead and scored twice in the last four minutes.
Emma Ward was one of four Orange players that recorded two goals in the first half.
Emma Ward fires one in!!!
— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX) May 28, 2021
📺 @espn #NCAAWLAX x @CuseWLAX pic.twitter.com/7VTwLjQ5A2
Below is the complete box score from the first half.
Syracuse
Northwestern
Click or tap here for live stats.
FINAL: Boston College 11, North Carolina 10
No. 4 Boston College held off No. 1 North Carolina, 11-10, on Friday in the first national semifinal for DI women's lacrosse. The Tar Heels scored the last four goals of the game, but it wasn't enough.
Boston College's Jenn Medjid led all scorers with four goals on six shots. Katie Hoeg and Caitlyn Wurzburger each had three goals for North Carolina.
With the victory, the Eagles advance to the national championship. It's their fourth straight appearance in the title game. They'll face the winner of the second semifinal between No. 2 Northwestern and No. 3 Syracuse.
Below are the final stats for each team.
Boston College
North Carolina
Click or tap here for the complete box score.
Boston College goalie Rachel Hall makes a clutch save
❌ Rachel Hall ❌ pic.twitter.com/44jfLnH5ER
— BC Women's Lacrosse (@BCwlax) May 28, 2021
Click or tap here for live stats.
HALF: Boston College 8, North Carolina 5
The Eagles have an 8-5 edge over the Tar Heels at halftime. Boston College's Jenn Medjid leads all scorers with three goals on three shots. She's one of six Eagles that have found the back of the net.
North Carolina's five goals came from five different players. The Tar Heels led 4-2 at the 18:18 mark of the first half. But Boston College scored four goals in just over four minutes to grab a 6-4 advantage with 8:15 to play.
Below is the complete box score from the first half.
Boston College
North Carolina
Click or tap here for live stats.