Dartmouth goalie Gisele Todd stood on her head, making five saves in the first quarter of Wednesday afternoon’s game against Boston College lacrosse. The first-year netminder, who came in ranked second in the Ivy League in saves per game, stifled the nation’s third-ranked scoring attack.

BC entered having averaged a smidge over 18 goals per game. The Eagles got one in the opening frame, despite outshooting Dartmouth, 10-2, and winning 3-of-4 draw controls.

On the other hand, the Big Green—facing their third top-five opponent of the season—made the most of their two shots: both got past BC goalie Rachel Hall.

The first-quarter performance came a week and a half after Dartmouth went toe-to-toe with then-No. 4 Northwestern in the second half. Like that game, however, the Big Green couldn’t compete with a national title contender for 60 minutes.

Dartmouth’s upset bid was a thing of the past when halftime rolled around. Caitlynn Mossman made sure of that. The Eagles’ primary feeder took matters into her own hands with two goals that set BC’s potent offense in motion. The Eagles, who caused seven Big Green turnovers in the opening half, didn’t let up on defense, either.

And, by the fourth quarter, the running clock ticked down what turned out to be a 16-4 blowout.

Slow starts have become somewhat of a habit for the No. 2 Eagles (10-1, 3-1 ACC). Last weekend, BC found itself in a 5-1 hole at Pittsburgh. The week before that, the Eagles had to battle back from a 7-4 halftime deficit versus now-No. 1 North Carolina.

Dartmouth (2-6, 0-2 Ivy) was the latest team to get a step on the reigning national champs.

But Hollie Schleicher, a first-team USA Lacrosse Magazine preseason All-American, pointed out postgame that it’s the defense’s responsibility to carry the weight when BC’s offense is sluggish out of the gates. And vice versa.

“Playing for each other is a big theme that we've been talking about this year,” Schleicher said. “The D has slow starts, we have slow games, and the offense always has our back. It's just part of the job, just having your team's back.”

Schleicher, who controlled five draws and one ground ball, actually created the only offense the Eagles had to show for in the first quarter. She pushed the ball in transition, as BC’s defenders often do, and, in the process, she drew a foul.

“It's usually my offense scoring, and I want them to score. That's their job. They're really good at it,” Schleicher said. “But when I stepped up there, they gave me the confidence to just take it. I mean I heard honestly every single one of them just say, ‘Hollie, take it. It's yours. Just go.’”

The junior did just that, going bottom-left corner to beat Todd for her first goal of the season. Schleicher had the right idea: going low.

Most of the Eagles’ shots in the opening frame were soaring high.

“I think we kind of were shooting ourselves in the foot with our shot placement,” Mossman said. “We really weren't hitching and shooting around her. The goalie came out on her crease a little higher than normal than what we're used to.”

Dartmouth, meanwhile, was finding a bit of success penetrating the teeth of BC’s defense—just enough to take the lead before BC’s offense got right. The Big Green, who had three failed clears in the first 8:30, managed to score two goals in a five-minute span.

Jev Ward found the back of the net first. The junior trailed left, pushed through an Eagles double team and slipped a soft shot past Hall. Then Katie Elders dodged past Sydney Scales and scored a bouncer.

Fittingly, the quarter wrapped with Todd making another impressive save, denying Jenn Medjid on a free-position opportunity.

Medjid wasn’t the one to lift BC’s offense. Neither was North, who actually was sidelined for a bit of the second quarter after colliding with defender Hunter Roman.

BC’s ball movement opened the door for Mossman, who embraced the moment. The senior attacker finished with a game-high seven points, and her first two scoring plays completely swung momentum.

Belle Smith pivoted and flicked a pass to a rolling Mossman. She caught the ball and immediately flung a shot past Todd for the equalizer. The next goal was even prettier. A Hall outlet pass was the catalyst. Then Smith pushed the ball up to North, who cut inside and dumped a pass off to Mossman. Cue the shot fake and score at the crease’s doorstep.

“I think I've definitely needed to step into more of a leadership role,” Mossman said. “And that's been stepping up in the shooting role, too. I was mainly a feeder last year, and I think I've gotten more comfortable finishing the ball and taking my moments when I have 1-v-1s.”

BC’s next two goals came on free-position shots. Ryan Smith bounced one through the five-hole, and North lasered hers past the feet of Todd.

Just before halftime, North dialed up a pass for Smith, who scored a quick-stick shot before the horn sounded. The ball hit twine with about a tenth of a second remaining, extending the Eagles’ lead to 6-2 prior to intermission.

The third quarter was a clinic. BC outscored Dartmouth, 7-1, and won 6-of-8 draws. It all started with freshman attacker Mckenna Davis. She capitalized on a Mossman feed for her first goal and then, on a free-position chance, got Maja Desmond to overextend after a fake, freeing up space for her to rip a shot past Todd.

Medjid continued her streak of 41 straight games with a goal, jumpstarting what would be another hat trick performance for the senior. The dominant period was capped by Smith, who hammered home an over-the-cage pass from Mossman in the X position.

The fourth quarter started with a running clock, and Dartmouth never got back within single digits. Hall notched her 500th career save, Medjid, Smith and Mossman scored BC’s final goals, and, although the Big Green got on the board twice late, the lopsided affair was already decided.

Eight Eagles scored in the victory, and North accounted for just one goal.

“Whoever it is,” Mossman said, “it's really just ball movement. And we owe it to all that.”