Syracuse's Season Ends in NCAA Semifinal Loss to Boston College

A fourth quarter collapse and missed opportunities cost Orange women's lacrosse a shot at the National Championship.

In front of a packed crowd at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, the 2-seed Syracuse Orange battled the 3-seed Boston College Eagles in a tight match. When the dust finally settled, the Eagles came out on top 8-7, bringing a memorable and magical Syracuse season to an end.

The Orange came out swinging in the first quarter, grabbing three unanswered goals in the first five minutes, two of which came from Emma Ward in back-to-back shots. Boston College responded with three of their own, equalizing the contest early in the second quarter.

As the game progressed, it felt a lot like a staring contest between the ACC giants; whoever blinks first will lose. The teams take turns trading blows, each time Syracuse remaining just ahead in momentum. Finally, a team blinked.

Late in the third quarter, the Orange broke through and went up 7-5 going into the final 15 minutes of play. But Boston College gained a spark through Tewaaraton finalist Jenn Medjin, who scored two goals in 21 seconds to tie it up in the blink of an eye. Medjin would finish with five goals on the day on five for six shooting, an extremely efficient outing for the Boston College star.

Finally, attacker Kayla Martello buried a free position shot to put the Eagles on top for the first time all evening, which was enough to seal the victory and advance to the championship game against Northwestern. This is Boston College’s eighth straight championship game appearance.

Goal scoring was generally well-distributed among the Syracuse roster, with Emma Ward being the only player with multiple goals. Olivia Adamson had a great outing, assisting on two goals and scoring one of her own. She also won 11 draw controls over BC’s eight.

In head coach Kayla Treanor’s second season, the Orange grew together as a unit and team both on and off the field, resulting in a top-four finish for the program and the second final four appearance in three years. Treanor expressed her thoughts on the team after the game, emphasizing the special season they had.

“I think the most special thing about this team is that there was so much love on and off the field,” Treanor said. “They were good people, they cared about one another, and you got to see a lot of magic on the field because of that. Tonight was a tough night for us to not be able to win, but I’m incredibly proud of them and I feel very fortunate to coach them this season.”

Graduate student attacker Meaghan Tyrrell made history this season by passing both Treanor and Katie Rowan for first all time in career points, a milestone that will cement her in Syracuse history. As she steps off the field for the final time, she will continue to support the team from the stands in future years.

“I think what I’m leaving behind is the importance of people,” Tyrrell said. “Lacrosse, at the end of the day, is a huge part of your life, but the people you interact with is much more important.”

Despite the sour taste of a semifinal loss, this season for Syracuse women’s lacrosse was one to remember. Achieving the number one rank in the country, going undefeated for a majority of the season, and earning a spot in Championship Weekend is a lot to accomplish in a single season. Though many notable and great players will end their collegiate careers this weekend, the future of women’s lacrosse in Syracuse is bright under Treanor, and this team will see itself in the championship weekend again very soon.