Boston College's women's lacrosse team knows what hearbreak feels like.
For three straight seasons, the Eagles made it to the NCAA Division I national championship game just to come up short.
But on Sunday, that heartbreak was replaced with joy as the Eagles took down the Syracuse Orange 16-10 in the national championship game to take home the program's first-ever national title.
It was a close game early for the Eagles, who went into the half with a 9-8 lead, but they never looked back from there, outscoring the Orange 7-2 after the break.
Speaking to the press after the contest, BC head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said she had feelings of pure joy and excitement when the clock struck zeroes.
"The players have been remarkable this year, despite all the adversity. To see them finish the job on behalf of the school, each other, all the alums, all the classes that got here, that we couldn't win before, all of this is for them," she said. "We had a dream a long time ago that we were going to win a championship, and people told us we were crazy. And we just did it."
Senior Charlotte North led BC with 6 goals in the game, a performance that gave her a total of 102 goals for the year, a new Division I record.
But North wasn't focused on her personal achievements after the game.
"This culture is second to none. And all the players that came before us who have gotten this program to this stage before, you know, this is for them," she said. "It's pretty incredible. And it's a testament to the culture that the coaches have built here for so long."
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!! pic.twitter.com/RvllR2UbYQ
— BC Women's Lacrosse (@BCwlax) May 30, 2021
It's a big moment for both BC and women's Division I lacrosse, which couldn't crown a champion last year because of COVID-19.
But Walker-Weinstein already has her eyes on the future.
"And I'm already thinking about winning another one," she said. "I'm just excited. I feel really grateful."
