Defense, Transition Scoring the Key at Harvard
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Rachel Hall is one of the most talented goalies in the country. She proved that as a freshman at Oregon when she led the nation in saves as a freshman. She proved that as a junior at Boston College when she stood on her head during the Eagles' national semifinal win over previously-undefeated North Carolina.
She drops and sprawls with ease, uses every part of her body to make stops and can distribute so well from the back that she can jumpstart BC's transition offense with an outlet pass.
But this season hasn't been sunshine and rainbows for Hall. Even after her nine-save performance against No. 18 Notre Dame, BC arrived at Harvard's Jordan Field with the 11th-lowest save percentage in the country.
Goaltending has been the Eagles' weakest link in 2022. Not on Tuesday, however. Hall put together a performance that could give her the confidence to regain the mojo she had last May—a groove that helped deliver BC its first national championship.
The senior turned away all but one of the nine shots she faced. Not only that, but she was the catalyst for three first-half goals. Hall was the face of a defensive master class the Eagles put on against the Crimson.
Defenders Hunter Roman and Melanie Welch found the back of the net, and Sydney Scales caused a trio of turnovers. Five of the Eagles' first seven goals were scored in transition, and BC coasted to a 17-1 win.
The victory marked the first time the No. 2 Eagles (13-1, 5-1 ACC) have ever held an opponent to just one goal in the Acacia Walker-Weinstein era. Their last such outing came on Feb. 22, 2009 against Niagara.
Harvard (4-6, 2-2 Ivy) did the best job of any team this year in containing BC superstar Charlotte North, who ended up committing a team-high four turnovers and recording a season-low one point. Her lone goal came with 9:28 left in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles didn't need her to carry. They had 11 other goal scorers, namely Jenn Medjid, who notched her fourth five-plus-goal outing of the year.
BC's defense was the story of Tuesday, though. Defensive coordinator Jen Kent's unit stifled Harvard, which hadn't scored fewer than six goals in a game all season.
The Crimson had a difficult time even getting shots off. They finished with a season-low 12. Part of the problem was unforced turnovers. BC caused six, except there were 12 others that cost the Crimson.
The very first goal of the game was a byproduct of Roman scooping up a Harvard giveaway, pushing the ball in transition and setting the stage for a Caitlynn Mossman feed from X and a Medjid score.
Hall's first save-to-score sequence occurred in the opening frame when she flicked an outlet pass to Roman, who sprinted downfield and lofted a pass to Medjid. The senior attacker danced along the crease before firing a shot past Harvard netminder Chloe Provenzano.
Again, turnover to goal: This time, Hollie Schleicher corralled a Callie Hem giveaway, led the break and dialed up pass for Kayla Martello. The sophomore middie did the honors, extending BC's lead to 4-0.
Again, a Hall-inspired goal: Her leg save was picked up by Ryan Smith, who got the ball out quick to Roman. Taking matters into her own hands, Roman flew downfield. As was often the case Tuesday, Harvard didn't pick up the ball carrier in the middle of the field, allowing Roman to drive to the cage and score her second goal of the year.
It was a pattern. The Eagles were using defense to methodically put away their crosstown Ivy League foe. And although BC actually committed one more turnover than the Crimson, it didn't feel that way because Harvard didn't make Walker-Weinstein's team pay for its mistakes.
Medjid scored twice more in the second quarter. Belle Smith assisted the first of those two goals and, not too long after, added one of her own. Andrea Reynolds also got on the board securing a mishandled pass from Mallory Hasselbeck and scoring at the crease's doorstep.
BC went into the break with a 9-0 lead and proceeded to win 8-of-10 draw controls in the second half to complete the embarrassment of Harvard.
Welch got in on the fun in the third quarter, scoring her first goal of the season with another transition strike.
Harvard's lone goal came from sophomore middie Ilana Kofman, who hadn't found the back of the net in a month.
BC's half-field offense finally flipped a switch in the fourth quarter, logging five goals in the final 9:28. It was a stretch that included goals from junior midfielder Annie Walsh, sophomore middie Annabelle Hasselbeck and sophomore attacker Kit Arrix.
As impressive as the surge was, it didn't overshadow the Eagles' defensive prowess. They allowed one goal on 31 possessions.
Regardless of opponent, that's breathtakingly good.
BC's high-powered offense will give it a shot to repeat. But the Eagles can pull off the feat if their defense, especially Hall, can play at their best in May.
