Women’s Lacrosse: UNC Reaches ACC Final for Seventh Time in Eight Seasons After Defeating Boston College

Led by five goals in the first half from First Team All-ACC attacker Molly Hendrick, the third-ranked UNC women’s lacrosse team qualified for its seventh conference tournament final in the last eight seasons.

The Tar Heels knocked off the Boston College Eagles in the ACC Semifinals by a score of 17-14 on Friday in Richmond, to earn a rematch against Syracuse for all the marbles.

UNC (15-2) scored seven straight goals in the first half after Boston College notched the opening tally, and never looked back.

Ela Hazar and Marie McCool helped ease the offensive load on Hendrick by scoring three goals apiece for the Tar Heels, while Carly Reed added two goals and two assists.

Boston College (13-6) was led by four goals from Sam Apuzzo and a hat trick from Kate Weeks.

The Eagles trailed by five at halftime, but were able to cut UNC’s lead down to three goals in the closing minutes–earning credit from Tar Heel head coach Jenny Levy for their efforts.

“BC is a very good team, and they’re going to play hard until the very end,” Levy said afterward.  “It didn’t surprise me at all that BC was able to come back late in the game.

“Unfortunately for us offensively, we missed some easy shots,” the coach continued. “We hit pipes and missed wide open, catch-and-finish plays.  I think we might’ve opened things up a little more if we’d finished on some of those high-percentage opportunities, but sometimes that happens.”

Now the Tar Heels will move on to Sunday’s ACC Final against Syracuse, which happens to be one of just two teams to beat UNC over the last 34 games played by the Tar Heels.

It will also be a rematch of the last two ACC women’s lacrosse championship games, with Syracuse having won in 2015 and UNC taking it home last season.