The top-ranked and defending national champion Boston College women’s lacrosse team had its 21-match winning streak snapped on Saturday, beaten, 12-11, by No. 2 North Carolina at Dorrance Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Eliza Osburn’s second goal of the game gave the Tar Heels (12-0, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) their first lead of the afternoon, 11-10, with 6:24 left in regulation. Caroline Godine made it 12-10 with 4:09 left with her second goal of the quarter, and that proved the winner when BC’s Rachel Clark scored the last of her three goals with 3:33 left.
Lexi Zenk made it hold up. The goalie entered in the second half for Carolina and held the Eagles (13-1, 6-1), the top-scoring offense in the nation at nearly 19 goals per game, to just four. BC had a final chance to tie with 18 seconds remaining, but a turnover sealed its first loss since last April 13 to Virginia.
BC built a 4-0 lead in the match’s first five minutes, but North Carolina tied it at 5 across the next 17 before the sides traded goals through Godine making it 10-10 with 8:27 left in the fourth.
Advertisement
Among the eight Tar Heels to score were a pair of Connecticut freshmen — Chloe Humphrey from powerhouse Darien, who had two goals, and Addison Pattillo from Wilton.
Shea Dolce — also a Darien alumna — had eight saves. She was key as BC won its second straight ACC tournament championship last year, then made a seventh straight national title game and beat No. 1 Northwestern for the program’s second national championship.
Advertisement
Clark and Mia Mascone each had three goals, and Middleton’s Molly Driscoll a goal and two assists for BC, which plays its final home game of the regular season Saturday against Virginia.