Trio of Long Islanders help Boston College women's lacrosse advance to national championship game

CARY, N.C. —  A trio of Long Islanders scored to lift the second-seeded Boston College women’s lacrosse team to its seventh consecutive national title game.

Boston College beat No. 3 seed Syracuse, 10-7, on Friday night at WakeMed Soccer Park in an NCAA Division I national semifinal game.

Emma LoPinto (Manhasset) scored twice and Kayla Martello (Sacred Heart) and Cassidy Weeks (Bayport-Blue Point) added a goal.

Next up: Sunday’s final against Northwestern, a rematch of last year’s final won by the Wildcats.

“I’m really proud of our team,” BC coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said. “Really difficult opponent — Syracuse can be a giant with all the talent that they have — so I’m really proud of our girls for coming out and following the game plan and sticking together.”

Senior attacker Emma Ward (Babylon) and senior midfielder Natalie Smith (St. Anthony’s) had two goals apiece for Syracuse.

Fifteen Long Islanders competed in the game.

Two Long Islanders accounted for three goals in the opening period, with LoPinto recording two and Ward the other. Senior midfielder Belle Smith (Westhampton Beach) assisted on LoPinto’s first goal.

Boston College (19-3) held a 3-2 lead after the first period. A goal by Weeks made it 4-2 and kick-started a 3-0 Eagles run in the second period.

Facing a 6-2 deficit, Syracuse battled back with a goal and then an assist from Smith to cut it to 6-4 at halftime.

Martello scored five minutes into the third period, recording a free position goal on an overhead twister shot to put Boston College up 7-4.

Trailing 9-4, Syracuse (16-6) recorded back-to-back-to-back goals in three minutes to charge back into the game in the fourth quarter, with Ward recording the final goal in that stretch.

She capitalized on a rare one-on-one opportunity to cut Syracuse’s deficit to two at 9-7 late in the game. Then, after draining the clock, Boston College scored to make it 10-7.