Northwestern, North Carolina will provide local flavor to NCAA women's lacrosse title game in Foxborough
'We got it the night before our game and we've been wearing it ever since, so we thought it was right to wear it now,' said record-setting attack Madison Taylor.
Though BC's season ended before the championship game for the first time since 2016, Sunday's title tilt between Northwestern and top-seeded North Carolina will have plenty for locals to root for. Four Wildcats have Massachusetts roots, including one of their defensive leaders, Cohasset's Jane Hansen, who has 44 caused turnovers this season (including two Friday.)
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For Amonte Hiller, Hansen, and fellow Massachusetts natives Alex Blake (Medfield), Cara Nugent (Byfield), and Kate Keller (Newburyport), playing for a national championship at the home of the New England Patriots is meaningful.
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'This is pretty surreal, pretty exciting,' said Amonte Hiller. 'We didn't make it here the last time Foxborough hosted (in 2018). We're just so grateful to be here in the first place.'
The Wildcats (19-2) won't settle for just an appearance, however, and thanks to the offensive capabilities of Taylor, a junior from Long Island, they stand a chance against the juggernaut that is undefeated North Carolina. Taylor has 154 points, and the national NCAA single-season goal record with 109.
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North Carolina (21-0) has a talented scorer of its own in redshirt freshman Chloe Humphrey, who scored seven goals in the
The Tar Heels defense — what defender Sam Forrest calls a 'velociraptor defense' — is stifling. They have outshot opponents 773-466 and outscored them 372-143.
With injuries leading to an early postseason exit for North Carolina last year, the three-time national champions are eager for a chance to win their first title since 2022. They are healthy and have plenty of new players, including Andover's Haley Carver, who want to return to the top.
'We have one more game and we are going to give it everything that we have,' said Humphrey. 'This team, I'm telling you, has a lot to give.'
A large crowd should be on hand to see the duel between North Carolina and Northwestern. Friday's semifinals brought 10,080 fans to Gillette, the highest total for the women's tournament since 2022. Sunday should be even better despite BC's absence. Much of that is thanks to the legacy the Eagles have established through their consistency and style of play.
'I think the girls in our program play the right way,' said BC coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein. 'They play unselfishly. They play really gritty. They play really tough, and I think they have captured the hearts of a lot of young lacrosse players.
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'The game is electric and the game is fun to watch, and I think we've captured a lot of fans.'
Interest in women's lacrosse has always run high in Massachusetts, thanks to the quality of high school and club programs, but BC's run to the last eight Final Fours spurred on a new generation of lacrosse players and fans who will fill the stands on Sunday. Amonte Hiller is pleased that her team will be who they watch.
'I think it brings a lot of attention to our sport at a critical time in college athletics,' said Amonte Hiller. 'I'm just really grateful to be a part of it in my hometown.'
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