Boston College Athletics
Photo by: John Quackenbos
Don't Call it a Comeback for BC's Attack
May 11, 2018 | Lacrosse, #ForBoston Files
BC is back in the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn't mean it's the same Eagles.
Back in February, Boston College took to the lacrosse field against Notre Dame to start its 2018 season. The Eagles were coming off of a national championship game appearance, and the lacrosse community anxiously waited to see what they could do for an encore. The expectation was that BC would be back in the national mix, and the good times would continue for another season.
The Eagles beat the No. 15 Fighting Irish, then rolled through Holy Cross, 20-2. A couple of weeks later, they destroyed Brown, 22-12, then hung 20 goals on No. 11 Navy. The season steamroller was rolling forward, led by an attack scoring goals at an incredible pace.
But even as BC continued its breakneck offensive pace, there was a realization to be had. This wasn't the same unit from last season. In fact, the two years, even as they stand next to each other, are completely and mutually exclusive.
"Everyone looks at our attack as a continuation from last year, but it's a totally different unit," head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said. "The strengths and weaknesses are way different (from one another). The personalities and leadership styles are different. So that makes it even cooler for us (to see this year's success). Last year was amazing. This year is amazing. But they're two completely different types of amazing."
For the 2018 Eagles, success sets the year apart. BC is tenth nationally in goals per game with 319 goals in 20 games played with a shot percentage of .458. The Eagle scoring margin is seventh in the nation at +6.85 per game, and the team ended the regular season as one of only two undefeated programs. It's a unit led by a number of players who have terrorized opposing defenses all season.
"I really think our depth and connection of our team makes us so successful," junior Sam Apuzzo said. "Everyone is a threat. Defenses have trouble stopping everyone, especially if we're all on our game. And if one person isn't on her game, someone else will step up. We're very connected and fast-paced in our movement. We want to go hard and do it all at once. That's hard to stop when everyone's coming at them from different angles."
Apuzzo knows a thing or two about goal scoring; with 79 goals and 112 points, she's a favorite to win lacrosse's Tewaaraton Award as the best in the country. This year marked the second straight 100-point season for her, and it's been a year where she's been terrorizing defenses since the first draw.
She scored at least six goals in three different games this season, including a nine-goal performance against Navy. She's been held to less than three goals in only three games, including the season opener against the Fighting irish, and scored four goals in four of BC's last five games.
Apuzzo isn't the only threat, however. Junior Dempsey Arsenault and senior Kaileen Hart are both over 70 points on the season and likely would be a team leader on any other roster. The two have 101 combined goals entering this weekend, including 29 free positions.
"We have strengths and weaknesses that complement one another," Hart said. "Sam is in the crease and is an unbelievable dodger. But she's willing to feed Tess (Chandler) or Dempsey. Tess is a really tall attacker so she can take any hit. And then there's Emma Schurr, who's left handed. So we have all of these pieces that are playing really well. It makes things easier than it's ever been (for us)."
"We're a really unselfish team," Arsenault added. "We're always looking for that one extra pass. Having so many people who can take it to the goal is a key factor for us."
It's a style of play the coaching staff emphasized from the beginning. The coaching staff built new expectations around a new unit this year, emphasizing a clean break from any other team in the past. It allowed BC to flourish into its own identity, one that's unique to the players currently on the roster.
For this year, that also meant additions and changes to the coaching staff. Assistant coach Kayla Treanor joined the Eagles after a career spent rewriting record books as a player for Syracuse. A four-time All-America and three-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award, Treanor finished her career as one of the all-time greatest goal scorers in college history.
"Adding Kayla to the team has really helped us," Arsenault said. "She's one of the smartest people I've ever met, and her lacrosse IQ is so high."
"I've learned so much from Kayla," Hart agreed. "It's unbelievable how much knowledge and experience she has, especially playing down in the crease. She's really upped our crease game and has been such a huge help in transforming our offense into this kind of threat."
It's an approach that creates continuity in results but keeps a fresh outlook. BC enters this tournament as a different team from last year, one capable of taking on any opponent under any circumstances.
"We all work really well together, especially with different units," Apuzzo said. "Defense pushes to midfield. Midfield pushes to attack. We're all connected through the field. I feel more confident than ever when a defenseman takes the ball to goal. Someone like Elizabeth Miller has a few goals on the season. Our ability to push up and down the field has been incredible."
"We totally changed things up this year based on strengths and weapons," Walker-Weinstein said. "That's what makes playing at BC so much more unique for recruits. We don't expect to play in a mold. Every year, we reload (with a different style). The coaches get together and make the most out of their players. It's fun for us because it gets the most out of the team."
The Eagles host the NCAA Tournament this weekend at Newton Campus. BC will play Ivy League champion Princeton Tigers on Sunday at 1. The Tigers defeated Syracuse, 12-11, in double-overtime on Friday. All games will be televised via ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app on mobile devices.
The Eagles beat the No. 15 Fighting Irish, then rolled through Holy Cross, 20-2. A couple of weeks later, they destroyed Brown, 22-12, then hung 20 goals on No. 11 Navy. The season steamroller was rolling forward, led by an attack scoring goals at an incredible pace.
But even as BC continued its breakneck offensive pace, there was a realization to be had. This wasn't the same unit from last season. In fact, the two years, even as they stand next to each other, are completely and mutually exclusive.
"Everyone looks at our attack as a continuation from last year, but it's a totally different unit," head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said. "The strengths and weaknesses are way different (from one another). The personalities and leadership styles are different. So that makes it even cooler for us (to see this year's success). Last year was amazing. This year is amazing. But they're two completely different types of amazing."
For the 2018 Eagles, success sets the year apart. BC is tenth nationally in goals per game with 319 goals in 20 games played with a shot percentage of .458. The Eagle scoring margin is seventh in the nation at +6.85 per game, and the team ended the regular season as one of only two undefeated programs. It's a unit led by a number of players who have terrorized opposing defenses all season.
"I really think our depth and connection of our team makes us so successful," junior Sam Apuzzo said. "Everyone is a threat. Defenses have trouble stopping everyone, especially if we're all on our game. And if one person isn't on her game, someone else will step up. We're very connected and fast-paced in our movement. We want to go hard and do it all at once. That's hard to stop when everyone's coming at them from different angles."
Apuzzo knows a thing or two about goal scoring; with 79 goals and 112 points, she's a favorite to win lacrosse's Tewaaraton Award as the best in the country. This year marked the second straight 100-point season for her, and it's been a year where she's been terrorizing defenses since the first draw.
She scored at least six goals in three different games this season, including a nine-goal performance against Navy. She's been held to less than three goals in only three games, including the season opener against the Fighting irish, and scored four goals in four of BC's last five games.
Apuzzo isn't the only threat, however. Junior Dempsey Arsenault and senior Kaileen Hart are both over 70 points on the season and likely would be a team leader on any other roster. The two have 101 combined goals entering this weekend, including 29 free positions.
"We have strengths and weaknesses that complement one another," Hart said. "Sam is in the crease and is an unbelievable dodger. But she's willing to feed Tess (Chandler) or Dempsey. Tess is a really tall attacker so she can take any hit. And then there's Emma Schurr, who's left handed. So we have all of these pieces that are playing really well. It makes things easier than it's ever been (for us)."
"We're a really unselfish team," Arsenault added. "We're always looking for that one extra pass. Having so many people who can take it to the goal is a key factor for us."
It's a style of play the coaching staff emphasized from the beginning. The coaching staff built new expectations around a new unit this year, emphasizing a clean break from any other team in the past. It allowed BC to flourish into its own identity, one that's unique to the players currently on the roster.
For this year, that also meant additions and changes to the coaching staff. Assistant coach Kayla Treanor joined the Eagles after a career spent rewriting record books as a player for Syracuse. A four-time All-America and three-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award, Treanor finished her career as one of the all-time greatest goal scorers in college history.
"Adding Kayla to the team has really helped us," Arsenault said. "She's one of the smartest people I've ever met, and her lacrosse IQ is so high."
"I've learned so much from Kayla," Hart agreed. "It's unbelievable how much knowledge and experience she has, especially playing down in the crease. She's really upped our crease game and has been such a huge help in transforming our offense into this kind of threat."
It's an approach that creates continuity in results but keeps a fresh outlook. BC enters this tournament as a different team from last year, one capable of taking on any opponent under any circumstances.
"We all work really well together, especially with different units," Apuzzo said. "Defense pushes to midfield. Midfield pushes to attack. We're all connected through the field. I feel more confident than ever when a defenseman takes the ball to goal. Someone like Elizabeth Miller has a few goals on the season. Our ability to push up and down the field has been incredible."
"We totally changed things up this year based on strengths and weapons," Walker-Weinstein said. "That's what makes playing at BC so much more unique for recruits. We don't expect to play in a mold. Every year, we reload (with a different style). The coaches get together and make the most out of their players. It's fun for us because it gets the most out of the team."
The Eagles host the NCAA Tournament this weekend at Newton Campus. BC will play Ivy League champion Princeton Tigers on Sunday at 1. The Tigers defeated Syracuse, 12-11, in double-overtime on Friday. All games will be televised via ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app on mobile devices.
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