After an up-and-down start to its season, Boston College women’s lacrosse seems to have found its groove, with the most recent example being a 12–8 win against ranked ACC opponent Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon. 

After a back-and-forth first three quarters that saw six ties, the Eagles (5–4, 4–2 Atlantic Coast) used a 5–1 fourth quarter to take down No. 23 Pittsburgh (4–5, 2–4). Freshman Lily Kondas led the way offensively for the Eagles, registering her first career hat trick in the Eagles’ annual Red Bandanna game honoring Welles Crowther.

BC has won five of its past six games and is above .500 for the first time all season following an 0–3 start. 

“We’re just coming together more,” senior goalkeeper Shea Dolce said. “We’re building chemistry. We’re meshing a little bit better offensively, meshing better defensively, and we’re just fighting every game.”

Dolce, pictured, finished with six saves. (Chloe Murphy / Heights Staff)

BC head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein acknowledged the growth of her team over the past few games.

“It’s taking some time, but it’s really hard to win, and these girls are fighting through it,” she said.”

Marissa White opened the scoring 2:08 into the game on a man-up opportunity for the Eagles. BC’s lead was short-lived, though, as a pair of goals from Avery Moon helped bolster a 3–0 run for Pitt. 

Both teams struggled to protect the ball in the opening quarter, each turning the ball over five times. Guilia Colarusso used that to BC’s advantage, turning a Pitt giveaway into a fast-break goal that cut the Panthers’ lead to one. Fifty seconds later, Lily Kondas took an assist from Caroline Chisholm and burned the ball by Pitt goalkeeper Molly Cain to tie the game 3–3 at the end of the first quarter.

The Eagles started the second quarter in the same way they did the first, by opening scoring early on. This time, it was Casey Colbert notching her first goal of the season to give BC a 4–3 lead. 

Following that goal, the second quarter turned into a battle of the defenses as Cain made four saves and Dolce saved three balls, including one on a free-position shot. Only one goal was scored over the next 11 and a half minutes, a free-position goal from Pitt’s Kaitlyn Giandonato to tie the game at four.

It looked like that would be the score that the two teams carried into halftime, but BC drew a foul with 15 seconds left, and Casey scored her second goal of the game on a free-position attempt to send BC into the break with a 5–4 lead.

Pitt came out hot, as Maureen McNierney tied the game up just 51 seconds into the third quarter. Three and a half minutes later, Kara Trullender scored to give Pitt its first lead since the first quarter. 

Molly Driscoll responded, scoring with 7:11 left in the third to tie the game 7–7. But two minutes later, Giandonato secured a hat trick to give Pitt a 7–6 lead. Another goal from Driscoll tied the game 7–7 heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter turned out to be all BC.

Kondas found the back of the net just 36 seconds into the period to give BC an 8–7 lead, then Kylee Colbert scored off an assist from Driscoll to give BC its first multi-goal lead of the game. 

Kondas remained the head of BC’s attack, scoring her third goal of the game with 6:39 left to give BC a three-goal lead and secure her first career hat trick. Avery Hudson followed with another goal a minute later to make it 11–7 BC. 

“Everyone’s just hyping each other up,” Kondas said. “You could feel the energy switch in the second half. It was awesome.”

White tacked on her second goal of the game with 3:34 left, and while Pitt did get one goal back, BC was already well on its way to its third straight victory.

“I think they’re believing in each other, and they’re getting excited for each other, which is making the success more fun,” Walker-Weinstein said.