Despite record-breaking performance, Asa Goldstock allows 16 goals in title loss
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TOWSON, Md. — As the final seconds ticked off and the ball was chucked into the air at Johnny Unitas Stadium on Sunday, Boston College players rushed toward its goalie Rachel Hall to celebrate the Eagles’ first national championship. On the other side, Syracuse goalie Asa Goldstock was already walking off the field, alone, with her head down.
Goldstock finished her last game at Syracuse as the school’s all-time saves leader with 663 — breaking Liz Hogan’s career record of 660 — but she also came up short. Goldstock allowed 16 goals on only 20 shots against BC, finishing with the lowest single-game save percentage (20%) she recorded over her five years at SU. The Orange’s 16-10 defeat in their first title game appearance since 2014 led to Goldstock stepping off the field in despair after her first — and last — national championship game.
“To get to this game is obviously a dream,” Goldstock said postgame. “It’s sad … obviously right now it really hurts, but (it’s) a memory I’ll remember forever and (I’m) just grateful to be able to be on this team and compete today.”
In the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinal game against Boston College in April, Goldstock gave up 17 goals, struggling particularly against low shots. Syracuse was able to pull out a 19-17 victory to advance to the ACC final, but the Eagles’ offensive prowess against Goldstock and the Orange’s defense persisted into Sunday’s game.
Similar to the previous three games against Syracuse this season, Boston College placed an attack behind goal to facilitate the offense, trying to get the ball in the middle of the 8-meter. Once the Eagles got into shooting range, they fired it at the ground, right in front of Goldstock. Six of BC’s nine first-half goals came on low, bouncing shots that went past the Niskayuna, New York native and into the back of the net. The goalie was forced to drop to her knees on multiple shots, but balls still slipped past her — sometimes going between her legs. She posted just two saves in the first half, and Syracuse entered halftime trailing, 9-8.
The Eagles came out of halftime firing, scoring six of the half’s first seven goals. Early in the period, with SU trailing 11-8, BC attack Charlotte North moved her way from behind goal to inside the left hash of the 8-meter.
Once North got her eyes on goal, she dropped her stick low and ripped a bouncing shot that nearly sent Goldstock into the splits. It went right through the goalie’s legs and into the net for North’s fourth of the afternoon and her NCAA-leading 100th on the season.
“We tried to change our defense to match up better, match up differently and give them a different look,” Goldstock said. “We started to, (but) it was just hard. They were on today.”
BC had double the draw control wins than SU had in the second half as well. Because of that, the Eagles’ offense continued to pressure the Orange’s defense with numerous shot opportunities. Goldstock allowed seven more goals in the second half, putting the Orange in a hole too large to overcome.
“We did everything we could,” head coach Gary Gait said. “I thought we prepared pretty well. And we knew they were a very good offense that really could put the ball in the back of the net.”
Boston College’s offensive success also comes from its ability to get effective shot opportunities. The Eagles lead the ACC in shots-on-goal per game, averaging 24.45. But throughout the ACC title game, Boston College’s offensive dominance didn’t just come from its ability to find the back of the net — it came from scoring off fouls as well.
The Orange committed 26 fouls in the game, including five yellow cards. At the end of Boston College’s 6-1 run in the second half, Goldstock was called for a foul while defending a free position attempt. With an empty goal, Cara Urbank scored with ease, barely even moving her body from the right hash of the 8-meter to give the Eagles a 15-9 lead with over 13 minutes remaining.
After recording 10 saves against Northwestern, Asa Goldstock only recorded four in SU’s NCAA title game loss to Boston College. Courtesy of Greg Fiume | NCAA Photos
BC also went 4-for-7 from the 8-meter Sunday after scoring on just three of nine attempts in the ACC Tournament matchup. Goldstock made just one free position save, with the Eagles either passing on the other attempts or missing the cage entirely.
On her first free position opportunity in the opening half, Urbank bounced her shot just past Goldstock’s right leg to give Boston College an early 2-1 lead. Goldstock was also unable to deny Courtney Weeks’ 8-meter attempt early in the second half. Weeks charged the cage and again put one past Goldstock, this time giving the Eagles their 11th goal — which ultimately proved to be the final dagger.
With another May run falling just short of the program’s first national championship, Gait is again left to answer how SU can get over the hump. Since taking over in 2008, Gait has led the Orange to three title game appearances, eight trips to Final Four weekend and multiple conference tournament championships.
Next season the biggest changes for Syracuse will come on the defensive end. With key players like Goldstock and defenders Kerry Defliese and Ella Simkins graduating, Gait has to rebuild his unit, the second-best defense in the ACC this year. Despite stopping just 20% of the shots from North and Boston College on championship Sunday, Goldstock’s legacy will not waver, and her performance this year helped Syracuse reach the biggest stage, Gait said.
“She’s a two-year captain, amazing person, incredible leadership and the heart and soul of a very good defense,” Gait said. “(She was) a huge part of this program to get us to where we were today.”