Seawolves Fans

No. 4 Boston College vs. No. 5 Stony Brook
When: Saturday, May 19th at 1pm
Where to Watch: ESPN3
Last time: N/A
Key Players: Stony Brook - Kylie & Taryn Ohlmiller, Courtney Murphy; BC - Sam Apuzzo, Dempsey Arsenault, Kaileen Hart
Key Matchup: BC’s Attack vs. Stony Brook’s Defense
My pick: Stony Brook

It’s the matchup we’ve been waiting for all season, the one we thought we’d have to wait until the championship to see. However, Stony Brook’s lower than anticipated seed pushed this matchup to the quarterfinals. This seeding is putting yet another chip on Stony Brook’s shoulders to get to play back in La Valle Stadium for the championship. We’ll also get to see two Tewaraaton finalists go head to head, with Kylie Ohlmiller (86G, 66A) and Sam Apuzzo (80G, 35A, 138 DC).

Stony Brook is my pick in this one, not only is their attack on fire, featuring the second ranked scoring offense in the country, but the Seawolves also lead the country in scoring defense. Additionally, only one of these teams has been defeated this season, with Boston College losing to North Carolina in the ACC championship. The BC defense also struggles with fast breaks and covering cutters, and facing a team like Stony Brook that moves the ball fast and does it well, this poses problems for the Eagles.

A key for Boston College will be coming into this one confident from the start. The Eagles started off a little shaky against Princeton, but once they got into the groove their offense came together despite a faceguard on Sam Apuzzo. If we see this again, expect Dempsey Arsenault (56G, 32A), Kaileen Hart (51G, 27A), Tess Chandler (41G, 1A), and Emma Schurr (21G, 12A) to step up on the attack. The Stony Brook defense faces a high-paced offense everyday in practice, we’ll see if they can handle what the Eagles throw at them. Look for Brooke Gubitosi (31CT), Samantha DiSalvo (18CT), and goalie Anna Tesoriero (49.8% SA) to drive the Seawolves defensive efforts.

If Boston College wants to stay in this one, the Eagles defense is going to have to step up their game. They’ll look to Carly Bell (16CT), Hannah Hyatt (16CT), Elizabeth Miller (15CT), and goalie Lauren Daly (43.6% SA) to come up big. Stony Brook is led by Kylie Ohlmiller, Courtney Murphy (93G, 34A), Taryn Ohlmiller (52G, 55A), and Ally Kennedy (43G, 21A). Taryn Ohlmiller left the Penn game with a lower body injury, but hopefully we see her out there this weekend.

Kylie Ohlmiller and Courtney Murphy’s numbers are jaw-dropping

Let’s just focus on this year for now. Ohlmiller and Murphy rank No. 1 and No. 2 in Division-I in points scored. Ohlmiller has 152 points (86 goals and 66 assists) while Murphy has 127 (93 goals and 34 assists).

Over her career, Ohlmiller now has a record 493 points, 48 clear of Jen Adams in second-place and 95 more than Hannah Nielsen, who was in third-place all-time before being passed by Murphy (now with 403) this past Sunday.

Before this season, only one player in the history of Division-I college lacrosse had ever recorded more than 400 points (Adams). Both Murphy and Ohlmiller have hit the mark this year and there is a high likelihood that Ohlmiller will reach 500 points either this weekend or next.

Murphy now holds the career goals record by a staggering 43 (now over Maryland’s Megan Whittle, also a senior this season). Ohlmiller holds the career assists record by 18. These players are now statistically running away from all-time greats.

Combined, they have 896 career points and 589 career goals. No pair of teammates playing their final season together have ever achieved anything CLOSE to that. The second-highest points total comes from Adams and her classmate Allison Comito (who ironically became the Stony Brook head coach from 2006 to 2011).

Ohlmiller and Murphy have combined for 589 career goals (and counting). The next best teammate total in D-I lacrosse history is 450 goals. Ohlmiller/Murphy is statistically the greatest scoring duo ever... by 30.9 percent.

Counterpoint: Kylie Ohlmiller has played seven games this season against teams that made the NCAA Tournament. She has 51 points (7.28 points per game) in those seven games, just off her 7.60 points-per-game clip overall.

2. Stony Brook, undefeated in the regular season but seeded fifth in the NCAA tournament, and Boston College, the second-to-last undefeated team, will meet in what could be the biggest game in Division I women’s lacrosse this season.

Come Saturday, two teams that felt slighted by the NCAA Selection Committee will battle for a final four spot — a game that seems fit for a championship. The buzz is already palpable surrounding Newton Campus Lacrosse Field.

For Boston College and coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, it’s best to maintain a level head ahead of the biggest game of the Eagles’ slate thus far. Stony Brook and coach Joe Spallina are taking a different approach.

“We don’t run from the noise,” he said. “We embrace it. ... The mood is what you expect of a hungry group of people who feel disrespected.”