Tough to top perfect
Eagles valiant, but Terps earn 13th title
FOXBORO — The Maryland women’s lacrosse program has grown accustomed to perfect finishes.
The Terrapins capped an undefeated season with a 1613 victory over Boston College in the NCAA Division 1 title game yesterday at Gillette Stadium.
Maryland (23-0) recorded its 13th NCAA title and finished undefeated for the third time in the last four seasons under head coach Cathy Reese. Maryland’s rich tradition and five All-Americans proved too much for a BC program making its first title game appearance. BC completed its season at 17-7 — the most wins and most goals (373) in program history.
“I think to take down Maryland is like slaying a dragon and I think my girls fought hard to the very end,” said Eagles fifth-year coach Acacia Walker, who was an All-American player for the Terps. “Maryland is amazing. Their coaches are amazing. Their players are some of the best so you have to be excellent. You have to be at your best.”
The game was filled with NCAA records and firsts with contributions coming from both camps and their supporters. A record crowd of 11,668 witnessed a contest that yielded the most combined goals (29) and the most combined goals in a second half (19) in championship game history.
The first record fell just 10 seconds into the match. Maryland freshman Kali Hartshorn’s tally at 12:50 was the fastest goal ever scored in a title match. Terrapins dynamic sophomore attacker Caroline Steele tied the championship game record with six goals.
“Caroline’s a great player, she was on fire and we needed her,” said Maryland first-team All-American midfielder Zoe Stukenberg. “She stepped up when we needed her and she was unbelievable.”
BC junior attacker Kenzie Kent finished with five goals and five assists to set records for most points in the title game (10) and most in the NCAA tournament with 37.
Kent set the title game points record despite being shadowed by Maryland first-team All-American defender and Tewaaraton Award finalist Nadine Hagnagy.
Kent’s amazing contributions were recognized when she was named tournament MVP. She has appeared in an NCAA title game in two sports: ice hockey and lacrosse.
“Obviously it is a big accomplishment but I wouldn’t be here without my teammates,” Kent said.
Sophomore attacker Sam Apuzzo netted four to finish the season as the nation’s leading goal scorer with 80. BC also set the record for most combined goals in a single NCAA tournament with 91. With Apuzzo and Kent returning next season, Walker has an offensive nucleus in place for another great run.
“Sam’s funny, she’s really quiet and really shy,” Walker said. “Something ignites in her when you put a lacrosse stick in her hands.”
Maryland blitzed BC at the start of the second half with five unanswered goals to take a 10-5 lead with 25:31 remaining. Junior attacker Megan Whittle started the onslaught 19 seconds after halftime on the Eagles’ second-half goalie, Lauren Daly.
Steele followed with consecutive goals and Jen Giles added two more, prompting Walker to call timeout and put starting goalie Zoe Ochoa back in the cage.
Senior Kate Weeks broke the Terps’ run with her second of the game with 24:56 remaining. Kent followed with a pair to cut the lead to 10-8 with 20:26 to play.
BC cut Maryland’s lead to 11-10 on a bounce shot by midfielder Dempsey Arsenault with 13:57 left. Caroline Wannen’s goal at 12:04 began the Terrapins’ closing run.
Hartshorn’s second of the game gave Maryland a 14-11 lead with 8:40 to play. Steele delivered the haymaker when her final tally put Maryland up 15-11 with 5:59 remaining.