NEWTON - In the history of BC women's lacrosse, there are maybe three days bigger in terms of importance than what happened in Newton on Thursday night.

The day the school hired Acacia Walker-Weinstein and both national championship wins.

That's it. That's the list.

The significance of BC's 18-11 win over Yale in the NCAA quarterfinals can't be overstated.

Not only did the defending national champions (19-2) clinch a spot in a ridiculous eighth straight Final Four next weekend at Gillette Stadium, but Rachel Clark also set the single-season program record for goals at 103 with what should be a Tewaaraton-clinching eight goal performance.

For the near 2,000 on hand to witness history - especially the hundreds and hundreds of kids decked out in their neon BC gear that formed a human tunnel to greet their heroes postgame - it was a day that will impact the future for decades to come.

"It's just such a legacy," said Clark. "Even learning from some of the seniors last year and meeting some of the alumni, you just want to play for the people that came before you. They built this program that's absolutely incredible and we want to carry on the legacy. We want to make everyone proud and represent the people that came before us the best we can."

"When you're sitting on your couch and you're watching Boston College you obviously want to be a part of that," said Emma LoPinto, who was massive with five goals, including four in a five-minute span during the second quarter that gave BC the lead for good.

"Actually getting to be a part of it is special, but you get to kind of understand why. This team, the coaches, just...Boston College is such a cool atmosphere and such a special group of people. When I think of it I think about the people that get you there and how much fun we have."

While Walker-Weinstein was obviously thrilled in the moment, there was a piece of her that was already looking ahead.

"I just want to go on the record saying this. Eight Final Fours, three national championships. That's what we need, ok?" she said while looking at Clark, LoPinto and Morgan Smith.

Clark did the majority of her damage in the second half after a quick hat trick in the first quarter. BC began to step on the gas and Clark scored four during a five-minute span in the third quarter to make it 14-6. That goal was No. 102, tying Charlotte North's previous record.

With just 2:18 remaining and a celebration clearly about to take place, Clark roofed a shot to break the record, one she says wasn't really on her mind.

Her coach certainly wasn't thinking about it either, dropping her jaw and saying 'she beat Charlotte?!' while Clark was being asked about her big moment.

"I was really just focused on winning today," she said. "It was a little emotional before this game just knowing (it's) the last couple of games for me. I think just fighting for one more day is the only thing on my mind right now.

"My eight goals are a result of Emma being the spark. Morgan locking it down on defense, like...my job is easy because of my teammates."

Molly Driscoll (2), McKenna Davis, Kyle Colbert and Morgan Smith also scored and Davis did her usual thing with six assists. LoPinto and Colbert also had helpers.

LoPinto scored goals with 6:44, 3;56, 2:50 and 1:43 left in the half. The first was a nice little face dodge and rip to make it 6-6. The second was a phenomenal diving effort, a finish inside and then a sick diving twister to wrap up the incredible run that ultimately helped clinch the game and gave the Eagles a ton of momentum heading into the break.

"It was awesome," she said. "I think kind of having each other's backs and possessing the ball...finding the looks that everyone's creating, even if I was a spark, it's everyone around me that's creating that. The defense coming up with the stops, transition, our offense going to work.

"So, it's just having fun out there and trusting our offense, trusting the game plan, honestly."

Draws were a big issue early for BC (Yale had a 12-4 draw advantage in the first half), but Sam Apuzzo addressed some things and a team effort from Abbey Herod, Morgan Smith, Shea Baker, Brooke McCloy and Giulia Colarusso- particularly on 50/50 ground balls - turned the tide in the Eagles' favor.

"A lot of times it's just a matchup thing," Walker-Weinstein said of the draws. "So, Brooke was amazing and then Giulia Colarusso's been working really hard. She was a better matchup, it's not one person is better than the other. A lot of these decisions are matchup decisions.

"Sam makes a lot of those decisions herself. She's got it down to a science. I was really excited about that because they've been putting a lot of work in to figure out our draw chemistry and now it feels like we have a lot of people who are capable of stepping up to it. I give Sam all the credit on that."

The defense was outstanding after a jittery first half, forcing several turnovers, poor shots and near-shot clock violations in the final 30 minutes.

Shea Dolce had an enormous save (12 total) in the final seconds of the second quarter to preserve the three-goal lead. Dolce had five saves each in the second and fourth quarters.

"We knew this was going to be a really good game going into it, so we knew we were just going to have to trust our preparation," said Smith. "Our big theme is trust, so we really leaned into that in the second half. Trusting our 1-v-1's, trusting our teammates, trusting ourselves.

"I feel like that really pushed us to then just play better all around, play with all eight of us and we knew we could beat their seven."

Now, Walker-Weinstein gets to return to Gillette Stadium for the first time since 2017. That year didn't end the way 2021 and 2024 did, but it was the genesis of the type of program she now resides over today.

It's going to be incredibly bright in Foxborough next Friday and hopefully, next Sunday.

"We're playing in Boston, so we need the city to show up. They showed up for us eight years ago. That was the beginning of our neon tradition and it needs to be bigger and better," she added.

"We have a week to get ready. I think once you get to the Final Four it really is anybody's game. So, it's going to be who wants it more, who prepares harder and I'll take my group over everyone."