Sports

BC prepares for Women's Lacrosse Final Four at Gillette Stadium

Preview courtesy of Dan Rubin, Eagles Unlimited contributor

As the Eagles practiced on Wednesday night, Boston College lacrosse head coach Acacia Walker stood under the lights, a late May sunset turning the sky from blue to a burning shade of pink. She looked around, maybe for a moment or two, and soaked in the moment.

Then in an instant, she turned back to her team, shouted some more instruction, and resumed her normal practice day activities.

That the Eagles have the chance to enjoy another practice is an accomplishment only three other programs can experience this season. Boston College is one of four women's lacrosse teams remaining, and on Friday, they'll play Navy for the right to be one of the last two standing. Facing off after Maryland and Penn State, the winner advances to Sunday's national championship game.

"It's amazing (to make it this far)," Walker said. "It's been our goal all along to make it this far, and it's been something we've been working on for a few years. I think it's been brewing for a few years, and we've had a lot of excellent players and a lot of great leaders. But this is such a special group."

Friday starts what the Eagles hope will be a national culmination for a cohesive squad. The entire season's been a march of development, the kind of season where a team blurs the lines between players. Individuals receive recognition, but the team and the name on the front of the jersey means so much more.

"It's really hard to describe because the entire experience has been surreal," senior captain Mary Kate O'Neill said. "We've taken everything game by game and stayed focus on the process. That's how we've tried to treat this week. There are distractions, and I'm sure there are going to be more later on this week, but it's just been awesome. We're so bought in, and we're having so much fun."

That togetherness can take a team to previously unknown and uncharted heights. It's the reason why the best team isn't necessarily the most talented. "I get emotional thinking about how far this team has come," Walker said. "They're such a grounded, selfless, humble group of girls. I think they just love to play lacrosse, and they love their teammates. It sounds so cliché, but I actually think that's how we've gotten this far - because they're selfless and love each other."

There is still the matter of the games themselves. Like the Eagles, Navy entered the national tournament unranked and unseeded. But they've earned their way to Gillette by knocking off some of college lacrosse's blue bloods. They beat Penn in the first round, then dominated UMass to advance to the Elite Eight. That's where they defeated North Carolina, 16-14, in Chapel Hill to advance to Foxborough.

The Midshipmen haven't lost since April 12, and they've got all kinds of momentum. They're a tough, gritty team, a disciplined and well-oiled machine built from the reputation of their service academy. They're also 18-4 on the season, though three losses came against the ACC and one came on March 4 - to Boston College down in Annapolis.

Here's what to watch for an expect as the teams descend under the watchful hoodie of Patriot Place:

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Respect, Not Fear

There's always a magic in a service academy's name. Their athletes always compete for something bigger since they'll graduate to represent their country in the armed forces. Because their institution has such rigorous physical standards, they always enter a game as one of the best conditioned squads anyone can ever face.

But the key is to respect that physicality, not fear it. It's a lesson the Eagles can learn from their previous meeting back in March. BC led Navy, 8-7, at halftime of that game, then used a second half barrage to unload 12 goals. That's a database of information that can play a huge role if Boston College expects to gain a second win over the cadets.

"Having played them once already, we know how incredibly tough, physical, and disciplined Navy athletes are," O'Neill said. "We respect them so much, and we've seen so much improvement from their game. We've been studying the film, and I think we even respect them even more because they've made it this far just like us."

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Full Barrage

Like USC, Navy has an incredible offense capable of going on long runs. They rank ninth in the nation with 15.59 goals per game, a virtual tie with Boston College. In 22 games played, they've scored 20 goals or more seven different times, including a 23-11 blitz of UMass in the national tournament.

In March, the Middies lost their Patriot League opener, 13-9, to Loyola Maryland. Because of that, Navy lost a chance to host the Patriot League Championships and had to play a true road game in the conference championship against the Greyhounds. They promptly jumped out to a 7-2 first half lead and rolled to a 15-5 victory.

It's a result of an offense featuring two 100-point scorers and five 45-goal scorers. Jenna Collins is the team's biggest threat with 71 goals and 40 assists, while Kelly Larkin eclipsed the century mark this postseason (48-54-102). They're joined by Morgan Young's 52 goals, Meg O'Donnell's 48 goals, and Julia Collina's 46 goals (and 26 assists).

"We're going to have to make sure our defense does what it's been doing all year," Walker said. "They have to be athletic, agile, and smart. But it's going to be a battle. It's so important for them to stay grounded and humble because it's the Final Four."

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Numbers and Digits

Boston College crushed Navy in the second half, and they've been a force after making adjustments all season long. Last week against USC, we broke down just how much stronger the Eagles become after the break and how they put away opponents in those situations.

So you think it might be cut and dry, except it's not. Statistically, the bad second half against BC is a Naval aberration. Opposing shots and shots on goal decrease dramatically in the second half against the Midshipmen. In the second half of 2017, Navy's taken 131 more shots on goal than their opponents. Unsurprisingly, they're +65 on the scoreboard.

Statistically, Navy is beatable. They have the 19th best defense in the nation, and the two games in which they allowed 20 goals came against ACC schools - including BC. They went 1-3 against the conference, with their lone win coming against the Tar Heels last weekend.

Those stats, however, are over a full body of work and can be skewed by a couple of early bad outings. Since their last loss, their goals against average is 9.33, so don't sit on those numbers. "We're going to have to be really good against their zone," Walker said. "We're going to need to take care of the ball and push in transition."

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The Moment

In this stage, managing the moment becomes almost as important as the opponent. Though Boston College is in its first trip to the Final Four, Walker won multiple national championships as an assistant coach at Northwestern. That's invaluable experience to draw upon since playing on a national stage brings with it a certain circus.

"I've been there as a coach a bunch of times," Walker said, "but the players have never been there. So it's so important to stay humble and grounded as they have all year. They can't get too enamored with the lights and the stands and the stadium. They just have to play good lacrosse."

It's a tightrope a coach needs to balance for the team's benefit. On one hand, everyone needs to focus on an opponent and winning. Enjoying the moment too much can hurt a team's chances, and it can overwhelm them. On the other hand, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity requiring reflection and savoring.

"It's a cool experience," Walker said. "It was so fun (at Northwestern), and it's inspiring because you've made it so far as a team. You're able to go a few more weeks, and it's a special time because you can really see the hard work pay off. We don't have a ton of superstars, and we don't have a powerhouse this or powerhouse that. But we have a bunch of girls who put their mind into something, went out, and did it."

"We're closer than ever," O'Neill said, "but we're so bought into (the coaching staff). We're ready to go all the way, but we're expecting a great game. Navy is a good team."

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Go, Watch and Experience

The women's national championship weekend is part of a larger lacrosse celebration at Gillette Stadium. The weekend will feature the Division I, II and III men's championships along with the women's Division I crown.

The weekend kicked off with an open practice session for media on Thursday and continues with the games on Friday. Tickets are available for just the semifinals and championship or for both sessions combined.

If you can't make it out this weekend, BC-Navy is available online on ESPN3 on Friday. The national championship, meanwhile, will be televised live on ESPNU, Sunday morning at 11 a.m.