Kent's Legend Grows In NCAA Championship
May 30, 2017 | Lacrosse, #ForBoston Files
The rest of the nation learned what Boston College already knew.
In the second half of Sunday's NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship, Boston College junior Kenzie Kent had one of those career-defining moments. She broke free from a defender and got a shot off in the split second before a sliding defender stepped in front of her. Tumbling to the Gillette Stadium turf, the ball somehow found the back of the cage. Kent stood up to exult in the goal, emotionally celebrating with her teammates.
It was part of a trend throughout that second half as she single-handedly changed the dynamic of the game. Though Maryland ultimately defeated the Eagles for their 14th national championship, the game's biggest story might have been the play of the quietly determined two-sport phenom. But while the national media and audience got its first taste of what Kent could do, it was hardly something unexpected for Boston College fans.
"She's such a talented player," Maryland head coach Cathy Reese said of her team's adversary. "Boston College is such a different team with her than they are early in the season when she's still competing in hockey. She's tough to defend. She's got great field vision. When you watch her play, she can see the field really well and she can find her open teammates. (She has) strong stick skills and (she's) a good scorer."
Let's start with her performance by the numbers. Despite playing in half of BC's games, Kent finished as the team's third-leading scorer. Of her 39 goals, only four came from free position shots, and she led the team with a .574 shooting percentage. Her 38 assists were one assist behind Sam Apuzzo for the team lead - and still the third most in a single season in program history.
In the postseason, Kent became one of two Eagles to break the record for points in a single NCAA Tournament. Her 37 points obliterated the previous record of 26 that was set in 2001, and she joined Kate Weeks, who had 30 in this year's tournament, as the only two NCAA scorers to score that many in the postseason. Her 10-point performance in the NCAA Championship tied the all-time record, and she became the first player in NCAA Women's D1 Lacrosse Championship history to win Most Outstanding Player despite not being a member of the winning team.
In addition, Kent scored the second-most goals against Maryland this season. She scored more goals against the Terrapins than the entire teams from William and Mary and Johns Hopkins. Combined with her assists, the junior factored into more goals against Maryland than the entire squads from Hofstra, Syracuse, Penn, Florida, Michigan, Rutgers, Ohio State, Northwestern (twice), and High Point.
It helped Boston College to one of the most prolific postseason performances of all-time. Though the Eagles didn't win the national championship, they assaulted the offensive record books. Their 91 goals made them both the first team to score 80 and 90 goals in a single tournament, breaking Northwestern's mark of 73 set in 2009. In the semifinals, the Eagles also combined with Navy for 31 goals, a new record for most combined goals in a single national semifinal, originally set in 1999.
Much of the well-deserved discussion focuses on Kent's status as a two-sport athlete and how she's played in the Final Four four times in three years between her two sports. As a member of the women's hockey team, she played an integral role in the team's success, especially on special teams. Between the two sports, women's hockey and lacrosse only lost 10 games with her in uniform this season.
"Personally it might not sound good," Kent joked, "but after I lost in the Frozen Four, I couldn't be more excited, for some reason this year more than others, to join the team. Obviously we lost today, but it's a cool experience, it's been amazing, especially with this team."
It's that last part - "with this team" - that perhaps illustrates that her impact is felt more in how she handles herself. As a quiet, unassuming and humble athlete, Kent deflects much of her own recognition. Asked about needing to come back against Maryland, she reflected on how it's "negative mojo" to focus on how many goals are needed. "We take it play-by-play," she said. "I think that's what got us out of that hole."
Following their loss to Maryland on Sunday, the moderator announced the junior's Most Outstanding Player of the tournament award. It was the first time anyone from Boston College heard the news. Almost immediately, head coach Acacia Walker and goalkeeper Zoe Ochoa, who joined Kent in front of the cameras, exploded with excitement. Kent, however, merely smiled. When asked about it, she was visibly more comfortable talking about the team's success than her own personal glory.
"It's a big accomplishment," she said in a simple statement, "but I wouldn't be here without everybody on my team."
It was part of a trend throughout that second half as she single-handedly changed the dynamic of the game. Though Maryland ultimately defeated the Eagles for their 14th national championship, the game's biggest story might have been the play of the quietly determined two-sport phenom. But while the national media and audience got its first taste of what Kent could do, it was hardly something unexpected for Boston College fans.
"She's such a talented player," Maryland head coach Cathy Reese said of her team's adversary. "Boston College is such a different team with her than they are early in the season when she's still competing in hockey. She's tough to defend. She's got great field vision. When you watch her play, she can see the field really well and she can find her open teammates. (She has) strong stick skills and (she's) a good scorer."
Let's start with her performance by the numbers. Despite playing in half of BC's games, Kent finished as the team's third-leading scorer. Of her 39 goals, only four came from free position shots, and she led the team with a .574 shooting percentage. Her 38 assists were one assist behind Sam Apuzzo for the team lead - and still the third most in a single season in program history.
In the postseason, Kent became one of two Eagles to break the record for points in a single NCAA Tournament. Her 37 points obliterated the previous record of 26 that was set in 2001, and she joined Kate Weeks, who had 30 in this year's tournament, as the only two NCAA scorers to score that many in the postseason. Her 10-point performance in the NCAA Championship tied the all-time record, and she became the first player in NCAA Women's D1 Lacrosse Championship history to win Most Outstanding Player despite not being a member of the winning team.
In addition, Kent scored the second-most goals against Maryland this season. She scored more goals against the Terrapins than the entire teams from William and Mary and Johns Hopkins. Combined with her assists, the junior factored into more goals against Maryland than the entire squads from Hofstra, Syracuse, Penn, Florida, Michigan, Rutgers, Ohio State, Northwestern (twice), and High Point.
It helped Boston College to one of the most prolific postseason performances of all-time. Though the Eagles didn't win the national championship, they assaulted the offensive record books. Their 91 goals made them both the first team to score 80 and 90 goals in a single tournament, breaking Northwestern's mark of 73 set in 2009. In the semifinals, the Eagles also combined with Navy for 31 goals, a new record for most combined goals in a single national semifinal, originally set in 1999.
Much of the well-deserved discussion focuses on Kent's status as a two-sport athlete and how she's played in the Final Four four times in three years between her two sports. As a member of the women's hockey team, she played an integral role in the team's success, especially on special teams. Between the two sports, women's hockey and lacrosse only lost 10 games with her in uniform this season.
"Personally it might not sound good," Kent joked, "but after I lost in the Frozen Four, I couldn't be more excited, for some reason this year more than others, to join the team. Obviously we lost today, but it's a cool experience, it's been amazing, especially with this team."
It's that last part - "with this team" - that perhaps illustrates that her impact is felt more in how she handles herself. As a quiet, unassuming and humble athlete, Kent deflects much of her own recognition. Asked about needing to come back against Maryland, she reflected on how it's "negative mojo" to focus on how many goals are needed. "We take it play-by-play," she said. "I think that's what got us out of that hole."
Following their loss to Maryland on Sunday, the moderator announced the junior's Most Outstanding Player of the tournament award. It was the first time anyone from Boston College heard the news. Almost immediately, head coach Acacia Walker and goalkeeper Zoe Ochoa, who joined Kent in front of the cameras, exploded with excitement. Kent, however, merely smiled. When asked about it, she was visibly more comfortable talking about the team's success than her own personal glory.
"It's a big accomplishment," she said in a simple statement, "but I wouldn't be here without everybody on my team."
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