USC women’s lacrosse’s offense struggles to Boston College in season opener

As graduate midfielder Katie Ramsay stared down her Boston College opposite in the opening draw, the anticipation was building. After a long offseason, opening day had finally arrived. The Trojans made their excitement clear, shouting words of encouragement that echoed in the indoor stadium of Fish Field House.

However, at the end of four quarters, the Trojans were all quiet as they lost to Boston College 14-3 on Saturday.

With the Trojans losing their highest scorer from last season in Kelsey Huff, USC registered its lowest point total in a half since 2018 and its lowest total in an entire game since 2021.

The Eagles’ defense limited the Trojans’ attempts on the goal to 18 compared to BC’s 35. The Trojans shot 17% from the field, while the Eagles shot 40%.

“They dictated our pace and played tight defense,” USC head coach Lindsey Munday said. “They got us out of our structure.”

BC’s graduate attacker Jenn Medjid led all players with five goals. Her final point in the fourth quarter came at a heavy price.

When Medjid rifled the ball with 3:27 left, graduate defender Emma Wightman and Medjid collided, injuring Medjid, who had to be carried off the field. Meanwhile, Wightman earned her second yellow card of the game, leading to her suspension for the remainder of the match.

Overall, the Trojans committed 22 fouls, with six of those being yellow cards. The Eagles recorded ten fouls and just one yellow card.

After scoring the third-most goals on the team last season, junior attacker Shelby Tilton led the Trojans’ offensive against BC with two goals.

“Shelby is super aggressive,” Munday said. “She’s a dodger, can play anywhere, and she provided a spark for our offense today.”

Sophomore midfielder Christina Gagnon tacked on another goal for USC.

In the faceoff circle, the Eagles won 13 out of 21 draws, despite being sixth in the ACC in draw control last season. The Trojans won an average of 15 draws per game last season.

Defensively, redshirt senior goalie Kait Devir played the entire game in the arc, recording a .417 save percentage against her former team. The New Jersey native had an average save percentage of .372 last season.

“Kait brings a work ethic that is unmatched,” Munday said. “She’s someone who wants to do everything she can to get better, not only for herself, but for the team.”

Graduate goalie Rachel Hall recorded six saves and had a save percentage of .667 for BC. In the fourth quarter, Hall passed goal duties to freshman Shea Dolce, who picked up the first two saves of her career.

USC falls to 1-7 all-time against Boston College, with Saturday’s 11-point margin being the largest in series history. The Trojans will return home to McAlister Field to face off against Ohio State next Sunday. The Buckeyes beat Robert Morris 18-6 on Saturday and went 9-7 overall last season.