Virginia Tech falls to No. 2 Boston College, 18-8

By Duncan Weigand

Staff Writer

April 2, 2022

Charlotte North squatted down at the top of the eight-meter arc. She had just been awarded a free position shot. Her team already had a one goal lead on Virginia Tech, and she was looking to put up yet another early goal to extend Boston College’s lead.

As the players surrounding her on the arc held their sticks up in the air with their feet in a running stance –– like track stars before the start of a big race –– they all watched as North went into her patented wind up.

North likes to charge up her shot, almost like it’s a special move in a video game. North wound up her stick to make it small, yet she calculated revolutions around her body.

Tech goalie Morgan Berman’s eyes stayed glued on North from her position in the crease. And in a blink of an eye the ball passed her.

North’s powerful shot hit top cheddar with lightning speed and pinpoint accuracy.

As a goalie, it’s nearly impossible to defend North when she gets a free position attempt. North got four attempts Saturday. For a goalie, you sort of just have to pick a spot and hope that the spot you picked is where she will end up shooting it. Even then, you’re not guaranteed to save it as North has so much control with her stick and the ball.

North’s goal put the Eagles (11-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast ) up two in a first quarter where they dominated, leading by seven into the break. They eventually won the game 18-8.

The only goal that the Hokies (8-6, 2-4 ACC) got in the first quarter came from a familiar source. Sarah Lubnow crashed the eight-meter arc and was able to get past a couple defenders before firing a shot that found the back of the net.

The goal at the time seemed like a much needed goal that would stifle Boston College’s four-goal run. But when Skiera and her team on the sideline looked up at the clock at the end of the first they found themselves down seven.

Boston College continued its dominance early in the second quarter. North scored the ninth goal. And then only a few seconds later Jenn Medjid put the Eagles into double digits.

Then Sophie Student woke up, scoring twice in rapid succession to make the score 10-3. It looked as if Tech could make up some ground. Its defense seemed like they had woken up as well. The Hokies managed to pick up loose balls and had timely stick checks on BC attackers.

Three more goals by Boston College seemed to put a damper on the Hokies hopes of chipping into the lead before halftime.

Two goals, including a third goal from Sophie Student, made the score 13-5 as both teams regrouped for halftime.

The second half started much like the first with a quick goal from North, who scored a goal worthy of an appearance on SportCenter.

North received a backdoor pass from her teammate behind the net, then faked the initial shot which fooled Berman. She then pulled the stick back out of the fake shot and reversed it to the other side of her head for an impressive behind-the-back shot. The ball fell into the back of the net leaving both announcers speechless. That goal was her seventh of the game.

For some players that would be a record setting goal performance, but not for North. Last year when Boston College played the Hokies in Blacksburg, North found the back of the net an astounding 10 times.

The third quarter was the most uneventful quarter of the game. Four goals were scored in total, two for each team. Freshman Olivia Vergano continued her impressive first year by scoring one of the Hokies goals in the third.

The fourth quarter opened up unlike the other three with a goal from the Hokies. Olivia Vergano fired a laser past the BC goalie during a man advantage. The goal cut the lead to seven and seemed like momentum might finally be on Virginia Tech’s side. However, that would be the final goal of the game for the Hokies.

The Eagles rounded out the scoring with three more goals to end the game. Virginia Tech walked off the field after losing their second game in a row and their third loss in 4 games. The Hokies have been outscored 38-16 in their last two games.

Virginia Tech’s schedule has been rough lately. The Hokies in the past four games have had to play No. 3 Syracuse, No. 1 North Carolina and No. 2 Boston College. All of those teams are ACC schools as well, which means they have to play them every year. That is a uniquely hard schedule for any team.

Virginia Tech continues its way through the ACC gauntlet against Duke in Blacksburg on Thursday.