WEEK #10: LOOKING TO GET BACK ON TRACK!

Thanks to many of you for reaching out to us over the last week to wish us luck and send along your moral support! Last week we traveled to College Park, MD for the 2010 ACC Tournament. As the #5 seed in the tournament, we faced #4 seed and 5^th-ranked Duke on Thursday. The entire team was looking forward to the rematch and hoped to find a way to avenge the 1-goal loss from earlier in the season.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t our day, and as one person put it, “sometimes, there just aren’t words.” After a 17-6 loss, it was true, there were few words that could ease the pain everyone felt; however, as has been the case all season long, the 2010 Eagles remained determined and unwavering in their belief that better days were ahead.

The 2010 season continues on this week, and because this year’s team has embraced the important idea that the response is far more important than anything else, we have no doubt great things are to come. Today, Wednesday, we face UNH at 4:00pm at home. It will be a battle from beginning to end, but we are looking forward to taking care of business and breaking another school record – most wins in a season. Tomorrow’s match-up will be followed by a game against LeMoyne at 1:00pm on Saturday – SENIOR DAY and ALUMNAE DAY! We look forward to honoring our five seniors: Sue Cannon, Blair Clancy, Lauren Costello, Peyton Killeen and Mary Stinson for all of their hard work and dedication to the program. We hope many of you will come to support them, as well, and say hello to our alums!

We will finish out the regular season next week at Harvard on Wednesday, May 5^th at 7pm.

Best wishes to all of you and thanks again for the continued support!

WEEK #8: Eagles Fall JUST Short!

What a performance your Eagles put forth last Saturday against #5 Duke! From the very first whistled, all 26 members of the 2010 team knew they could knock of the Blue Devils and did they ever come close! Dominating for much of the game, the Eagles went into halftime up by 4 with a score of 8-4. The defense came up huge throughout the first half, and the offense played with poise and patience we hadn’t seen all season long – it was impressive!

Coming out of the locker room at halftime with confidence, the Eagles continued to respond to every attempt Duke made to catch us. Hustle play after hustle play kept us ahead of Duke all game long. The Eagles responded with a huge draw control or a big goal every time Duke tried to get close. We never let them score more than two goals in a row (until the end…), and Eagles were diving all over the field to fight for the win.

Unfortunately, the excitement comes to an end as we fell short. We couldn’t quite hold on for the final ten minutes of the game and the Blue Devils found a way to win 12-11. Nonetheless, it was an impressive performance and one to build off of. There is no question it was a huge step in the right direction.

The way this 2010 team has handled itself all season long, how hard each athlete has worked, how far each has come, and how the entire team has continued to persevere is incredible. We still have MUCH work to be done, especially as we face #17 Boston University tomorrow (Weds) at 6:00pm. Each day this team gets better and tomorrow will be another step in that direction. We hope many of you will come out to cheer on your Eagles as they travel down Commonwealth Ave to take on the Terriers.

Many thanks to all for your continued support.

GO EAGLES!

WEEK #7: EAGLES ARE 7-3

Your BC Eagles traveled to Charlottesville, VA over the Easter weekend to face #4 Virginia on Saturday, April 3^rd. Arriving on Friday in Washington, DC and then enjoying a 2 hour bus ride to Charlottesville together, the Eagles welcomed the warm weather and sunshine! It was certainly hot on Friday!

After a solid practice and a great dinner together, the team was ready and excited to take on the Cavaliers. BC got off to a good start in the game, leading 2-1 early on. Virginia then answered back with a couple goals of their own, but the Eagles were unwilling to fold. Fighting back to get within one, 5-4, BC remained in the contest. However, the Cavaliers had another answer and went into halftime up 8-4. Scoring two quick goals out of the half, Virginia had a 10-4 advantage, but again, the Eagles wanted more. Two more quick goals cut Virginia’s lead to 10-6 with 14 minutes remaining. The Cavaliers were feeling the pressure and called a timeout. Unfortunately, we were unable to answer again and unable to get the key draw controls and ground balls for possession in those final minutes, and the Eagles ultimately fell 12-6.

With another experience against a top-ranked team under our belts, BC is finding ways to learn, to get better, and to reach our goals each and every day. It isn’t every day that teams get to play against the very best in the country, and for that we are grateful. I have no doubt that our team will learn the important lessons, work even harder than they have, and get better with every practice and every game. With that mindset, we will continue to thrive on the success we are having, the tradition we are creating, and the culture we are building. It is a process and the 26 women of the 2010 squad are learning how tough a process it can be, but I have no doubt they will, one day, know the reward, as well.

We now prepare to take on Iona College on Wednesday, March 7^th at 4:00pm at homeand then we travel to face #4 Duke in Durham, NC on Saturday, March 10^th at 1:00pm.

We thank you all for your continued support and hope to see many of you on the sidelines this week!

WEEK #6: EAGLES GO 1-1...MOVE to 7-2

The Eagles rebounded from their hard fought, but disappointing loss to Maryland, by knocking off Vermont at home last Wednesday. It was a closer game than anyone would have liked, but a win is a win and we defeated the Catamounts 14-10!

Then it was time to prepare for #4/#5 North Carolina, a game the team was really looking forward to. With focused and challenging practices leading up to the game, the team was prepared and ready – the energy was high and the determination apparent. This is precisely how the Eagles played in the first half. They came out with confidence and fire, and it quickly showed in the score as we went up 4-0! As is the case with the game of lacrosse, North Carolina also went on their own run, tying the game at 4 heading into halftime. Despite the comeback by UNC, the Eagles remained confident and poised during halftime and believe they could do all they needed to in the second half. Unfortunately, the game played out differently! Virtually unable to win a draw in the second half made possession very challenging and UNC capitalized on their opportunities with a renewed sense of intensity and purpose. The game ended in disappointing fashion with a score of 15-6.

With lessons learned by the team and coaching staff from Saturday’s loss, the Eagles are looking forward to getting back on track this week and working hard towards beating #4 Virginia this Saturday, April 3^rd, in Charlottesville at 1:00pm.

The 2010 Eagles are a strong, capable, and united group that is unwilling to let much stand in their way. As a result, we continue to learn lessons, continue to get better, and continue to look forward to our next challenge. We hope all of you will continue to cheer us on and come enjoy the sunshine in Virginia on Saturday!

WEEK #5: EAGLES FIGHT HARD

The week began with a road win at Holy Cross - a tough, scrappy team that gave us everything we could handle in the 1st half. Although tied at halftime, the team remained calm and focused and there wasn't an ounce of doubt anywhere to be found. Instead, the Eagles re-grouped and put together a much better second half performance outscoring the Crusaders 7-1 and winning the game 13-7. The win was the 6th on the season and the 2010 Eagles made history one more time breaking the program's longest winning streak set back in 2003.

After the hard-fought battle on Wednesday, the Eagles took to the road to face #2 and undefeated Maryland. The Terrapins had been averaging 37 shots per game and nearly 17 goals per game going into the contest. They were coming of a 20-11 win over #7 Georgetown and 20-6 win over then #15 UNH. The Eagles knew they faced a big challenge, but they were prepared and ready to stand tall - they did that and more. Holding Maryland to 24 shots and only 7 goals, the Eagles executed their gameplan and stuck to their goals. With a 5-2 lead by Maryland at the half, BC returned to the field in the second half and outscored Maryland 4-2. With a final score of 7-6, the Eagles realized just how close they are and tasting that is what will drive this team to further success this season. It was an excellent performance from one of the field to the other, but now we have unfinished business.

Additionally, the 2010 Eagles earned Boston College's first national ranking, coming in at #18 in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll - another first for the program this year! See the release by clicking here

So, this week we focus ourselves on our next challenges: Vermont on Wednesday and #4 North Carolina on Saturday. Both are home games starting at 4pm and 12noon respectively. We hope many of you will be there to cheer us on as we continue to improve each and every day. Thanks to all of you who showed up at Maryland - the support was huge!

Best wishes to all...

NOTE: We are having email difficulties and therefore this week's email update may be delayed - if it comes at all...hope to have things working soon!

Week #4: EAGLES SOAR to 5-0!

Your Eagles not only beat VA Tech on Saturday, 14-9, but they also made history with a 5-0 start for the first-time ever. It was a great way to begin ACC competition, and VA Tech certainly came ready to play. Although the Hokies have struggled some this season, they undoubtedly played their best game of 2010 against us, but we prevailed! It was an exciting game from start to finish, and all the tough sprints and long runs from the week before certainly paid off!

Tri-captain Lauren Costello ’10 and Brooke Blue ’13 continued their scoring ways combining for 9 goals and 1 assist on the day. Junior Kristin Igoe had 2 goals and 2 assists with one of her goals coming of a dive after losing the ball in transition – a highlight for sure! Our entire defensive unit of: Hannah Alley ’11, Katherine Caufield ’12, Kate Collins ’12, Kristin Igoe ’11, Liz Donovan ’12, Peyton Killeen ’10, Ali Meagher ’13, Jill Rekart ’11, Sam Taylor ’12 and Sheila Serafino ’11 did a tremendous job of holding off the VA Tech offense for long possessions at a time and doing all that was asked of them and more. There is no doubt it was a true team effort from one end of the field to the other.

For the full game release, please click here.

Now, it is time to prepare for Holy Cross on Wednesday at 4:30pm in Worcester, MA and for the #2 Maryland Terrapins on Saturday at 12noon in College Park, MD. This is a big week for the Eagles and we are looking forward to continuing our hard work, focus, and determination as we head into a tough stretch of games.

We thank you for all of your support and look forward to seeing you on the sidelines this week!

Week #2 & #3: Eagles Continue to Roll

The last two weeks have been very successful for your Eagles! We are currently 4-0, having beaten our first four opponents by a combined score of 72-20! Since the last update, we have taken down Canisius (14-5), Jacksonville (18-6) and Siena (20-5). There is no question our team is starting to click all over the field.

Freshman Brooke Blue and Senior tri-captain Lauren Costello were named Eagles of the Week these last two weeks for their game-day and practice performances. However, both have been greatly supported by an entire team working hard toward a common goal. Junior Jill Rekart has taken on an important leadership role on the defensive end and is coming into her own through hard work, focus, and determination to succeed. There is no doubt the entire team is looking forward to its first big opponent this coming Saturday!

We also had a great spring break trip to Jacksonville, FL – although everyone hoped for warmer weather! Nonetheless, we had sun and some warmth for the first time which was a welcome change from the cold north. Our trip down to FL was one to remember with our flight getting cancelled, our team being split into two groups – one for a Saturday departure and one for a Sunday departure, and lastly the Saturday group not arriving until 3:00am on Sunday…just as the Sunday group was waking up to catch its early morning flight! It was quite an adventure, but the team took it in stride as it always does and laughed through much of the craziness.

Now, we have a week to practice and prepare for one of our most exciting games of the year – an annual match against ACC rival, VA Tech. We will face the Hokies on Saturday, March 13^th at 12:00pm at home. The entire team is working incredibly hard in preparation for this game. It is an exciting time, and we are looking forward to a battle on Saturday!

We hope many of you will come out for our game on Saturday – regardless of the weather (!!) – to cheer us on.

Thank you for your continued support.

Week #1: Eagles off to a Great Start!

The Eagles began the 2010 season on Saturday as they took on Bryant University in Rhode Island. The team was eager and excited to put into place all that it had been working on for so many months. Saturday marked only the third time the team has played outside since October, but that did not seem to slow anyone down.

With exceptional conditioning and strength, along with great chemistry, the Eagles put forth a great effort and came out on top 20-4. Many things went right on Saturday, but there is still much more to do as we begin to face tougher and tougher teams down the stretch. Nonetheless, everyone is pleased with the season’s first performance and hope it is a sign of great things to come.

Freshman Brooke Blue had a standout performance in her first career game wearing the maroon and gold. With five goals (on six shots) and one assist on the day, she certainly found her rhythm and hopefully will take great confidence from this game heading into the season. Senior tri-Captain Lauren Costello also had a strong performance with a 100% shooting percentage (3 goals on 3 shots), several key assists, and excellent leadership for 60 minutes.

Junior defensive midfielder Jill Rekart also had an exceptional performance. With several key interceptions, many ground balls, a couple key draw controls, and two goals, she played with poise and confidence as she helped guide a young, inexperienced, yet talented, team.

The coaches were particularly pleased with the team’s shooting percentage (20 for 32), and, of the 16 goals not coming from 8ms, there were nine assists. In addition, the defense held Bryant scoreless during key moments in the beginning and end of each half and also caused several key turnovers sending the momentum in our direction. Overall, the team will look to improve on Saturday’s play in a variety of areas as it prepares for a tougher Canisius squad.

Thanks to all who were there to support us on Saturday and who sent well-wishes beforehand – we look forward to seeing many of you on Friday at 3:00pm as we take on Canisius for our first home game of 2010.

NOLA Service Trip

Lauren Costello ('10), Mary Stinson ('10) and Sheila Serafino ('11) recently went down to New Orleans with a group of BC student-athletes to help out with the Katrina Relief effort. Below is Sheila Serafino's account of her experience:

"Cos, Mary and I left BC Jan. 12th with eighteen other student-athletes headed for New Orleans on the SAAC service trip. Two flights and a van ride later, we were at the Katrina Relief Fund headquarters in Poplarville, MS (so in the middle of nowhere that we didn’t show up on GPS). We ended up sleeping on mattresses in a chapel attached to the shelter (just one huge slover, actually really fun), we had no hot water (or running water, for that matter), and there was a little rat-dog named Shorty who ran the place- but no one cared because we ate like kings, thanks to Dominic. Dominic is a chef who left his restaurant after Katrina to volunteer and work in the area’s homeless shelters. One night he even brought us to the restaurant he started with his friend, Ricky, and we got to sample real Cajun food! Crawfish, fried gator, jumbalaya, gumbo, catfish, crab cakes- DELICIOUS!!

Wednesday and Thursday, we helped the Katrina Relief Fund catch up on its office work. We placed hundreds of calls and sorted hundreds of files for families still in need- even six years after the hurricane. We weren’t doing the things you see on the Red Cross commercials, but the director, Kathleen, made a good point- helping people back to normalcy includes the nitty-gritty things like following up with their work-orders (even years later, and when their numbers are disconnected) and just being a supportive listener. It was especially satisfying when one woman (one of Mary’s calls, TWO POINTS) called back, and we were able to go finish painting her house! The staff was really grateful to us for helping them get through in days what would have taken them months.

We also got to do some demolition, which was a nice change of pace. On Friday we cleared out a building that will serve as another headquarters for the Katrina Relief Fund and then tore down an enormous volunteer center (think a few of “the Hut” on Newton) that was on the grounds of an elementary school/youth center. Now that life is getting back to normal and there isn’t the same need for volunteers, the locals want to bring their children back to this school and be able to use the ball fields and library that were decimated by Katrina. So we burned old structures and storage buildings and did away with a ton of garbage, helping them clear space to start reseeding fields and repairing the original buildings.

On Saturday we left Poplarville to visit Liz McCartney (BC ’94) who was the CNN Hero of the Year in 2008. She received this award for her work starting the St. Bernard Project, a non-profit that puts families from New Orleans’ 9th Ward back into their homes. We finished the morning driving through the 9th Ward, which was pretty intense. Here and there were houses that were either rebuilt or in the process of rebuilding, though, which was good to see.

We had an incredible experience down in Mississippi/Louisiana- the people’s resilience and pride was inspiring. We met some incredible people down there, and hopefully we did more good than trouble (the screaming Catchphrase matches probably didn’t endear us to the shelter’s residents). Plus we got to tour Tulane and then Bourbon Street (!!!!) on the last night, when there was a Saints playoff game (HOW BOUT DEM SAINTS?!?). But best of all, we got to know a completely different group of people- athletes we see every day in Conte but never really get the chance to meet! So much fun, so glad I got to take part in this trip!"

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Three BC Eagles had a tropical holiday break in the Caymen Islands...but not without lacrosse sticks in hand! Not only did Junior Jill Amo and Sophomores Katherine Caufield and Liz Donovan work on their tans over break, but they also showed off their lax skills for all to see in the hotel courtyard.

There is no doubt that all the hard work that the Eagles have done over winter break will pay off for the 2010 season!

EAGLES LEND A HELPING HAND!!

Three of our Eagles left yesterday morning with 19 other BC student-athletes for an experience of a lifetime!

Lauren Costello '10, Sheila Serafino '11 and Mary Stinson '10 are taking part in a service trip organized by student-athletes at Boston College. They are lending a helping hand to Katrina victims in New Orleans. To read more about their adventure, click here

We are so proud of them for taking on this challenge, for helping those in need, and for being such great representatives of our University, athletic department, and our lacrosse program. Keep your eyes on our blog, as they will write about their adventures when they return!