The Boston College women's soccer team saw its season come to a disappointing conclusion in the third round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday night, falling 2-0 to the top-seeded Stanford Cardinal for the third straight season.
The Eagles played the Cardinal evenly in the first half, as the defense contained the potent Stanford offense, conceding just five shots. BC had a great opportunity to score when junior Kristie Mewis sent a volley from 22 yards out to the far corner of the net, forcing Stanford goalkeeper Emily Oliver to make a great save to prevent a goal. Head coach Alison Foley was encouraged by her team's play in the first half.
"In the first half, I thought that it was quite even, and you could certainly tell from the momentum of both teams that it was going to be a great game," she said.
The game began to swing in favor of Stanford early in the second half, though. The Cardinal finally managed to capitalize on an opportunity in the 63rd minute, when Camille Levin took a pass from Teresa Noyola and buried it into the upper right corner of the net to put her team ahead, 1-0.
Stanford added a second goal just seven minutes later when Lindsay Taylor placed a free kick inside the right post. past keeper Jill Mastrioanni, to give the Cardinal a decisive 2-0 lead. Foley was proud of her team's performance despite the final score.
"That second half though, especially that second goal, took the wind out of our sails," she said. "All in all, I thought it was a great contest between two great teams."
The Eagles' late-season slide resulted in a four-seed for the NCAA tournament, which forced them to play Stanford earlier than they would have liked. However, the Eagles refused to let that bother them heading into Sunday's game.
"You have to face the best teams eventually," Foley said. "There are some things you can't control. Eventually you're going to see the top teams, and where you're going to see them, you don't know."
Senior midfielder Victoria DiMartino echoed her coach and refused to use the timing of the Stanford match-up as an excuse.
"It doesn't matter what round you play Stanford, or any other great team," DiMartino said. "In order to be the best, you have to beat the best."
Unfortunately for the Eagles, there will be no return trip to the College Cup this season. The senior class graduates as one of the most successful classes in the history of BC women's soccer, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen four times, including a trip that culminated in the Elite Eight and another that ended in the College Cup. The Eagles will lose six seniors, including Alyssa Pember, Marissa Mello, Julia Bouchelle, Alaina Beyar, Stephanie Wirth, and Jillian Mastroianni.
The Eagles will definitely not be the same after losing such a talented class, but BC has a strong group of returning players that are sure to come back stronger next season. Rising seniors Mewis and DiMartino will be counted on to lead the team next year, and younger players such as Gibby Wagner, Stephanie McCaffrey, and Casey Morrison will be expected to grow into major contributors.
The Eagles finish the season with a record of 12-6-3 while playing in the toughest conference in the country. Despite a series of losses late in the season, they were able to rebound and clinch a four-seed in the NCAA while earning the opportunity to host a tournament game.
BC had a target on its back throughout the season following last year's College Cup experience, and every opponent the Eagles faced gave them a stiff test.
The senior class has left a legacy of tremendous success, and its accomplishments raised the bar for the future of BC soccer.
Despite the loss on Sunday, the seniors have a lot to be proud of. The Eagles end their season disappointed by another difficult loss to Stanford, yet excited by the opportunity for another shot at the national title next year.
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