Boston College lacrosse didn't repeat as national champions. But the Eagles were right on the doorstep of that accomplishment, losing a one-goal NCAA title game to North Carolina that was, really, decided by a ground ball.
BC, national runner-ups for the fourth time in the last five NCAA Tournaments, had much to be proud of, regardless of defeat.
Tuesday afternoon was cause for celebration, too, as four different BC players were named to the NCAA All-Tournament team: attackers Charlotte North and Jenn Medjid as well as midfielder Cassidy Weeks and defender Melanie Welch.
North, the NCAA's all-time goals leader, starred during May Madness. She piled up 17 goals, registering a hat trick in each of BC's four tournament games. North scored six goals, including three in the fourth quarter, amid the Eagles' comeback win over Maryland in the Final Four. Then she had four in the National Championship. She also won 16 draw controls over the course of BC's fifth straight run to the NCAA title game.
Medjid wasn't quite as effective as usual in the National Championship (only two goals on eight shots), however, she still rounded out the NCAA Tournament with 13 goals. Her best performance was an eight-point outing (five goals, three assists) in BC's Elite Eight win over Loyola. Medjid, who still has one year of eligibility remaining, took another step from 2021 to 2022, finishing this season with 102 points.
Weeks was BC's hero in the Final Four. The two-way middie scored the game-winner with 18 seconds left to top Maryland. She followed that performance by tallying a hat trick against UNC. Weeks' Championship Weekend stat line read like this: five goals, one assist, three ground balls, four caused turnovers and two draws.
Welch, a former walk-on, ended up being a defensive weapon for BC. She came back from a pair of season-ending ACL tears to start 44 consecutive games for the Eagles. She was tasked with marking up Jamie Ortega in this season's National Championship and limited the Tewaaraton finalist to two points (two goals on two shots). Welch ended the year with 23 ground balls, 14 caused turnovers and even one goal.