For the first three quarters of No. 3 Boston College lacrosse’s game on Friday night, it looked like the Eagles had solved most of the problems that appeared in last week’s loss to Northwestern.
BC’s defense was smothering No. 16 Notre Dame’s attack while the Eagles’ offense, while not lighting up the scoreboard frequently, was finding the back of the net when it mattered.
Then came the fourth quarter.
After entering the frame in a 9–6 hole, the Fighting Irish (3–0, 1–0 Atlantic Coast) scored four goals in 2:45 to take a 10–9 lead. BC (0–2, 0–1) was unable to respond, and the Eagles ultimately fell 12–9.
“You got to play 60 minutes,” BC head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said. “It doesn’t have to be a perfect 60 minutes, but you can’t let up for a 10-minute period of time and expect to beat another ACC team.”
Before this season’s 0–2 start, BC had not lost back-to-back games since 2016.
“I think the cards and draw controls killed us,” Walker-Weinstein said.
The start of the game looked like a repeat from last week for BC, as Notre Dame found its groove offensively and had a 3–1 lead just 6:19 into the game. But the Eagles’ defense did not allow that trend to continue, and BC shut out Notre Dame for the rest of the period.
BC’s offensive depth shined through in the first frame, as four different Eagles scored. Three of those goals came in the last five minutes of the frame, allowing BC to take a 4–3 lead.
Hanna Davis’ goal that tied the game 3–3 was meaningful in more ways than one, as her sister and former BC standout McKenna Davis stood on the opposite sideline as an assistant coach for Notre Dame. Davis has tallied two goals and five points this season as she steps into a role her sister held over the past few years.
BC’s defensive dominance continued into the second quarter, as the Eagles gave up just one more goal before halftime.
“They were just focused, and everyone was doing their job,” Walker-Weinstein said.
Three second-period BC goals were more than enough to supplement its defensive efforts, and the Eagles held a 7–4 lead heading into the half.
The third quarter was slow for both sides, with each team managing just two goals. Marissa White scored her third goal of the game 6:39 into the third quarter to earn her first hat trick in a BC uniform.
“I’m proud of [White]—I think she does her job,” Walker-Weinstein said. “I know she had more in her, and I’m excited to see that.”
Shea Dolce was the star of the third quarter for BC, making five saves—including three on one possession. Dolce seemed to be back in her old form following the Eagles’ loss to Northwestern, as she saved 14 of Notre Dame’s 26 shots on goal.
The fourth quarter was when everything fell apart for BC, as the Eagles saw a three-goal lead vanish in just minutes and Notre Dame outscored them 6–0 to come away with the come-from-behind win.
“We just had way too many turnovers,” Walker-Weinstein said. “Even though it only says seven, it doesn’t feel like seven. It feels like 17.”