Syracuse women’s lacrosse falls in national title game to Boston College, 16-10

The dream of a national championship, very unfortunately, continues on for Gary Gait and the Syracuse Orange women's lacrosse team.

The ladies lost a tough one in the national championship game to the Boston College Eagles, 16-10.

An absolutely brutal second half where almost nothing went right was the undoing for the Orange, who were down 9-8 at the break after a great first half between the two teams.

But the second half was a complete disaster for SU.

They made countless mistakes, both physical and mental. They got beaten on loose balls. They turned the ball over. They didn’t shoot well. As a result, they were outscored 7-2 in a basically non-competitive half of lacrosse as BC looked the better, more physical team in the end.

Incredibly, almost unbelievably, a huge moment in this game came a little shy of 20 minutes in, when Emma Tyrrell picked up back-to-back yellow cards to get herself ejected from the game. For a team that suffered huge loss after huge loss throughout the season, it was somehow fitting that they lost yet another key contributor in the biggest game of the season. Tyrrell had stepped up to replace MeganCarney after everyone had to step up to replace Emily Hawryschuk. In the end, the injuries and absences finally caught up to the Orange, way later than anyone outside the team would have thought.

The Orange were winning 4-3 when Tyrrell left the game. We’ll never know how it would have gone if not for the unfortunate fouls. ‘Cuse kept it competitive for the remainder of the first half, but the doors got blown off in the final 30.

The Orange were led on the day by Emma Ward’s (2G, 1A) three points and Sam Swart’s (2G) two goals. Meaghan Tyrrell, Sierra Cockerille and Cara Quimby all had one goal and one assist.

It was a brutally disappointing ending to an absolutely incredible season for women’s lacrosse.

They accomplished something this season that I don’t believe any other team could have. They overcame the loss of two of their best players, two All-Americans, to make it all the way to the national championship game. Tell me another team that could have done that. I don’t see it, because I’ve never seen something like it before.

It hurts to walk away with the runner-up trophy for the third time while the national title mantle is still empty. It hurts for the players, for the coaches, for everybody who sacrificed so much throughout a pandemic to make sure a season even happened at all.

Today was not a good day. It wasn’t Asa Goldstock’s best day. It wasn’t Meaghan Tyrrell’s best day. I wasn’t anybody’s best day.

But, as far as the season goes, that was just about the best one in program history. It was remarkable in so many different ways. It was an absolute pleasure to watch.

So, cheers to the 2021 Syracuse Orange women’s lacrosse team! Congratulations to them on an incredible season!

I can’t wait for 2022.