There were few players whose impact was felt at the level of Northwestern attacker Izzy Scane. The graduate senior (who will return for one more year thanks to a medical redshirt) is not only the favorite to win the Tewaaraton Award, she can now claim the title of national champion. The Northwestern Wildcats claimed their eighth women’s lacrosse title under Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, defeating the Boston College Eagles 18-6.
First Quarter (Northwestern 3 – Boston College 0)
The opening quarter was influenced heavily by the rainy weather, with Boston College committing several uncharacteristic turnovers. Northwestern was able to capitalize on the back of two Madison Taylor goals to take a 2-0 lead. Both teams are known for defense, and the beginning of the game seemed to be just that, a defensive battle. Right before the end of the quarter, Hailey Rhatigan made it 3-0 Wildcats.
Second Quarter (Northwestern 6 – Boston College 2)
To start the second, Boston College finally showed some life on offense, scoring back-to-back goals from Kayla Martello and Belle Smith, making the score 3-2. The game felt close for a minute until the Wildcats rattled off three straight goals (Rhatigan with her second and Izzy Scane with two more). While the score read 6-2, it really didn’t feel like Boston College was competitive at times. The turnovers were timely, usually happening during the clear and leading directly to extended Northwestern possessions.
Third Quarter (Northwestern 11 – Boston College 4)
The halftime break didn’t change much for Boston College, the offense couldn’t get going, and the defense struggled to clear the ball. Northwestern was able to turn things up another notch on offense scoring five goals. Belle Smith and Kalya Martello were the lone bright spots for the Eagles, each putting in another goal to take an 11-4 score into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter (Northwestern 18 – Boston College 6)
This is where the wheels fell off for Boston College. During the fourth, the Eagles were outscored 7-2, saw a running clock, and committed four penalties (three yellow, one green). Northwestern looked comfortable with the lead, and their play only improved throughout the quarter, seeing five different goal scorers. The stat sheet paints a perfect picture of how the game went. At the end of the day, the Boston College turnovers, along with a lack of offensive looks, led to their downfall. Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse is back on top!
