BC Women Sink Navy’s Hopes 16-15 at NCAA Tournament

Photo Credit: Kevin S. Clancy

Kevin S. Clancy, NCAA Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome

As a warm up, I saw a very strong Maryland Women’s Lacrosse semi-final match at Gillette Stadium Friday night May 26, in a light rain in New England.  Maryland was all that it was hyped up to be.  The Penn State Women were ready for a fight but Maryland played error free lacrosse with a very relaxed attitude.  They completed their semi-final match 20-10 and were ready for the unseeded BC on Sunday morning May 28 at 11am.

Navy started off the first half controlling the ball and the face offs.  Navy doubled the shots on goal that BC had but weren’t as successful in getting the ball in net.  At half time, Navy was ahead 9-6 but should have had 15 goals with 26 shots on goal versus BC 14.

Kelly Larkin, a real freshman (plebe) at Navy ended the game with 6 goals out of 8 shots.  They needed more as it turned out.

The NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Final Four featured a Hall of Fame Coach Cindy Timchal (Navy) and the other three coaches who all played for her at Maryland.  What are the chances?  Students meet the master!

Navy let BC stay close in the first half and it came back to haunt them as the second half started with four unanswered goals by BC to take the lead for the first time since three minutes into the game and they wouldn’t let it go.  The momentum shifted and BC kept the pressure on Navy.  Both teams were unseeded in the tournament and one was going to go on to the finals against Maryland.

Navy didn’t give up the ship and kept chipping away at BC’s lead for the entire second half. Both teams had supporters in the stands yelling and waving signs. For a crowd of 7,800, they sounded twice as loud in the echo of Gillette Stadium.

With three goals behind and five minutes to go, Navy gave BC a scare by notching two goals in four minutes and with one minute remaining, BC got the face off but Navy forced the turnover and headed down the field when the officials called them for pushing giving the ball back to BC at mid-field.  BC went backwards to take time off the clock, since there was no shot clock with 50 seconds to go, the frustrated Navy women chased them down but to no avail as time ran out.

BC would be the ones heading to the finals of the NCAA Women’s National title game for the first time.  They have nothing to lose but to be the David that slays Goliath.  They’ll need a big rock in the lacrosse stick.

Kevin S. Clancy, NCAA Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome