Vol. 15: A Pioneer Journey to the Final Four and Three Championship Weekend Returners
The undefeated Denver Pioneers made their first-ever Final Four. Meanwhile, Boston College, Northwestern and Syracuse are back on the sport's biggest stage.
Northwestern’s Izzy Scane celebrates one of her seven goals in a 10-score win over Loyola in the Elite Eight. Photo courtesy: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics.
Defense wins championships. Sometimes that can be forgotten in college women’s lacrosse, where the Tewaaraton Award winner is usually an attacker, and Final Four teams are regularly armed with four or more 60-point scorers.
More goals are scored than in the men’s game, but defense still matters. In fact, it often can be the difference-maker, particularly in May.
That’s been true more than ever this NCAA Tournament.
Denver, the sport’s best story in 2023, is 22-0 on the back of a suffocating defense that holds opponents to a meager 5.82 goals per game. The Pioneers are joined in the Final Four by Northwestern, Boston College and Syracuse—each of which has conceded fewer than eight goals per game in the NCAA Tournament.
And guess what? Great defense means great finishes. There have already been nine May Madness games decided by three goals or fewer.
More could be on the way Memorial Day Weekend. Strap in.
Quick on the Draw is back with another NCAA Tournament recap and preview video. Andy and David dissect the Elite Eight, highlighting last week’s top performers and storylines, before diving into the Championship Weekend matchups.
It’s more than 35 minutes of discussion about the final stages of the 2023 season.
You can watch/listen below or follow along with the subsequent rundown.
Elite Eight Rundown:
Note: The time stamps for the video are in parentheses.
(1:58) — (2) Syracuse 13, (7) James Madison 7: Syracuse—the No. 2 overall seed and the team that was ranked No. 1 in the Inside Lacrosse Poll for five weeks this season—punched its ticket to Championship Weekend with a 13-7 win over 7-seed JMU. Despite a low-scoring first quarter, sophomore attacker Olivia Adamson (4 goals, 2 assists) and Co. were able to push through for the Orange. Two goals in the final 30 seconds of the second quarter gave Syracuse a 5-3 lead, and they outscored the Dukes, 8-4, in the second half. Syracuse dominated ground balls, 24-12, to gain a decisive advantage in possession and shots (30-21). Head coach Kayla Treanor is heading to the Final Four for the first time at the helm of her alma mater.
The Orange are all smiles after a six-goal win over 7-seed JMU in the Elite Eight. They’ll play BC in a 2021 national title game rematch on May 26. Photo courtesy: Syracuse Athletics.
(7:05) — (3) BC 20, Notre Dame 6: Death, taxes and BC playing on Memorial Day Weekend. The Eagles cruised to a 20-6 win over Notre Dame, beating the Fighting Irish for the third time this season. Eight different players scored for BC, and six had multiple points. Junior middie Belle Smith led the way with five goals and three assists, while graduate attacker Jenn Medjid added four goals and three helpers. On the defensive end, the Eagles held a high-powered Notre Dame offense to just six goals while causing eight turnovers and clearing a perfect 17-of-17 opportunities. With a win over Syracuse in the Final Four, the Eagles would make the championship game for a whopping sixth straight season. Here are other teams that have made five or more consecutive championship appearances: Golden State Warriors (2015-19), New York Islanders (1980-84), Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse (1977-1985), New York Yankees (1960-64) and the Cleveland Browns (1950-55). Not bad company, right?
BC women’s lacrosse is among six sports teams since 1950 to make at least five straight championship appearances. Graphic courtesy: ESPN.
(14:01) — (5) Denver 5, (4) UNC 4: Oh, boy. What a comeback. Denver held defending national champion North Carolina to just three shots in the second half and, more importantly, shut the Tar Heels out the final 35:22. After going down, 4-1, late in the second quarter, head coach Liza Kelly’s team rallied, thanks to attackers Kayla DeRose and Julia Gilbert. UNC finished with 19 giveaways, and first-team All-American defender Sam Thacker led the way three caused turnovers. Denver’s high-pressing zone bottled up the Tar Heels and helped the Pioneers win their seventh game by three goals or fewer this season. Kelly told USA Lacrosse Magazine that Denver has traveled 20,000 flight miles this season and stayed 25 nights in hotels. The Pioneers have had only seven home games. And, even so, their perfect season is still alive.
(18:21) — (1) Northwestern 16, (8) Loyola 6: Well, we knew Izzy Scane wouldn’t be limited in goal scoring for a second game in a row. She’s that good. After recording just two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in the second round against Michigan, the Tewaaraton Award favorite popped off for 10 points (7 goals, 3 assists) versus Loyola in the Elite Eight. Plus, she was aggressive on the ride, causing two turnovers, one of which led to a goal that helped put the nail in the Greyhounds’ coffin. Loyola entered with the second-ranked scoring defense in the country, except Northwestern’s attack—led by Scane and fellow Tewaaraton finalist Erin Coykendall (who had a hat trick)—proved too much to handle. Loyola was off its game from the start, winning 5-of-6 draws in the opening frame but having only one goal to show for it. The Greyhounds committed 15 turnovers, and nine of those were forced by Northwestern. Loyola and Jen Adams are still searching for their first Final Four appearance since 2003.
Previewing the Final Four:
No. 1 Northwestern vs. No. 5 Denver
(22:15) — Keys to the game: Can Denver stay within striking distance of Northwestern? That’s the question. Because the top-seeded Wildcats have the clear advantage on the attack. Northwestern’s fourth-leading scorer, Madison Taylor, has 10 more goals than Denver’s second-leading scorer, Lauren Black. The Pioneers simply don’t have the offensive firepower to keep pace with Northwestern, which has a pair of Tewaaraton finalists.
So if the Pioneers have a chance, it will be due to their vaunted defense, which did a great job keeping UNC out of the eight-meter arc in the Elite Eight. The draw will be important for Denver, too. Northwestern has relied on Samantha Smith in the circle most of this season, but, lately, the Wildcats have had to turn to Serafina DeMunno to give them a spark there. If Denver—which ranks third nationally in draw percentage (62.2%)—can control the circle early, it could have a shot.
Denver attacker and captain Julia Gilbert charges toward net against UNC in the Elite Eight. She leads the Pioneers with 58 goals. Photo courtesy: Peyton Williams/DU Athletics.
No. 2 Syracuse vs. No. 3 BC
(28:28) — Keys to the game: BC doesn’t have a Charlotte North or a Sam Apuzzo-type star this season. But the Eagles are almost better for it. They are so balanced, not only in terms of offense but in all facets of the game. Defensive coordinator Jen Kent has done a masterful job coaching the ninth-ranked scoring defense in the nation. BC has held five straight opponents to single digits. The Eagles’ lone weakness could be on the draw. They’re 27th in the country in draw percentage (54.8%). Notre Dame beat BC in the circle, 17-12, last weekend, and Syracuse had the edge in that department, 21-15, when these teams faced off in the regular season finale.
The loophole there for the Eagles is if they can force turnovers. After all, their clear game and transition offense might be the best in the country. So it will be imperative for Syracuse—which had only seven giveaways in the first meeting this season—to take care of the ball. Like BC, Syracuse is quite deep as well. They, too, have four 60-plus-point scorers: Meaghan Tyrrell, Emma Ward, Emma Tyrrell and Meg Carney. This one could come down to who can make the last stop, and that means goalies Shea Dolce (BC) and Delaney Sweitzer (Syracuse) will likely be in the spotlight.
Numbers to Know:
3 – Friday marks the third meeting between BC’s Acacia Walker-Weinstein and Syracuse’s Kayla Treanor as head coaches, with the Eagles winning the first two matchups. Treanor was a four-time All-American as a player at Syracuse, leading the Orange to the National Championship game in 2014 and graduating as the program’s all-time leading goal scorer (260). Walker-Weinstein played at Maryland, where she was an All-American and team captain in her senior season in 2005. Treanor served as an assistant coach for Walker-Weinstein from 2017-2021. Read more about their friendship and rivalry here.
14 – The number of Final Four appearances for Northwestern head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. The Wildcats earned a trip to Championship Weekend in 10 straight seasons from 2005-14, and 2023 marks Northwestern’s fourth consecutive national semifinal.Â
101 – BC has won 101 games since the start of the 2018 season, the most of any team in the country during that stretch. Denver has won 92, Northwestern has won 85 and Syracuse has won 82. The Eagles look for their sixth straight national championship appearance this weekend.
BC goalie Shea Dolce brings the ball out of the crease. Dolce is 19th nationally—and first among all freshmen keepers—in save percentage (.473). Photo courtesy: Kelly Coughlan.
Tewaaraton Watch:
The Tewaaraton Award winner will be announced following the conclusion of the season on June 1 in Washington D.C. All five finalists this season are attackers. All but one of them made it to Championship Weekend.
FINALISTS
Erin Coykendall, Sr. — Attack (Northwestern)
First-team All-Big Ten
2023 NCAA Tournament stats (2 games): 5 goals, 2 assists (7 points)
Season stats (20 games): 53 goals, 45 assists (98 points)
Jenn Medjid, Grad. — Attack (BC)
First-team All-ACC
2023 NCAA Tournament Stats (2 games): 6 goals, 4 assists (10 points)
Season stats (19 games): 77 goals, 23 assists (100 points)
Isabella Peterson, Jr. — Attack (JMU)
AAC Attacker of the Year
2023 NCAA Tournament stats (3 games): 13 goals, 3 assists (16 points)
Season stats (22 games): 91 goals, 23 assists (114 points)
Izzy Scane, Grad. — Attack (Northwestern)
Big Ten Attacker of the Year; 2021 Tewaaraton finalist
2023 NCAA Tournament stats (2 games): 8 goals, 4 assists (12 points)
Season stats (18 games): 89 goals, 31 assists (120 points)
Meaghan Tyrrell, Grad. — Attack (Syracuse)
ACC Attacker of the Year; 2022 Tewaaraton finalist
2023 NCAA Tournament stats (2 games): 6 goals, 5 assists (11 points)
Season stats (20 games): 55 goals, 52 assists (107 points)
Additionally, USA Lacrosse Magazine announced its annual All-American list earlier this month. Syracuse, BC, Loyola and JMU each have two first-team honorees. No school had more players make the first, second or third team or receive an honorable mention nod than BC (nine). Northwestern (eight) was close behind.
Here are the first and second teams:
FIRST TEAM
A — Jenn Medjid, Boston College
A — Isabella Peterson, James Madison
A — Izzy Scane, Northwestern
A — Meaghan Tyrrell, Syracuse
M — Kasey Choma, Notre Dame
M — Ellie Masera, Stony Brook
M — Belle Smith, Boston College
M — Jillian Wilson, Loyola
D — Meghan Ball, Rutgers
D — Katie Detwiler, Loyola
D — Mairead Durkin, James Madison
D — Sam Thacker, Denver
G — Delaney Sweitzer, Syracuse
SECOND TEAM
A — Erin Coykendall, Northwestern
A — Julia Gilbert, Denver
A — Emma LoPinto, Florida
A — Hailey Rhatigan, Northwestern
M — Shaylan Ahearn, Maryland
M — Brigid Duffy, Army
M — Fiona McGowan, UMass
M — Cassidy Weeks, Boston College
D — Abby Bosco, Maryland
D — Trinity McPherson, Denver
D — Sydney Scales, Boston College
D — Sammy White, Northwestern
G — Sarah Reznick, Florida
Championship Weekend Schedule:
5-seed Denver vs. 1-seed Northwestern, May 26, 3 p.m.
3-seed BC vs. 2-seed Syracuse, May 26, 5:30 p.m.
National Championship, May 29, 12 p.m.
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