Opponent Preview: What to know about No. 4 Boston College before NCAA title game

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No. 3 seed Syracuse (17-3, 8-2 Atlantic Coast) is making its third trip to the NCAA Tournament title game after a Final Four win over Northwestern. The Orange are set to face a familiar foe, No. 4 seed Boston College (17-3, 8-2). The two teams will face off for the fourth time this season, with both squads attempting to win their first championship in program history.

Here’s what you need to know about the Eagles heading into the national title game:

All time series

Syracuse leads 17-7

Player to watch: Charlotte North, attack, No. 8

North is the X-factor in this game. A Tewaaraton Award finalist, North scored 96 times this season — four goals away from setting a new record for goals recorded in a single season. Her most crucial production has come in the NCAA Tournament, as North recorded 25 goals in the first four rounds of competition. If the Orange stop her, they halt the heartbeat of BC’s offense, as North leads the team in goals, points and shot percentage this season.

Last three times they played:

First game, April 22:

The first meeting between Syracuse and Boston College marked the Orange’s second loss of the season and the loss of SU’s leading goal scorer. At the beginning of the second half, Megan Carney streaked toward the cage as Boston College defenders collapsed on her. She looked for an outlet pass, but as she cut to drop the ball off, her left knee buckled.

Carney tore her ACL, becoming the third player on Syracuse’s team to tear an ACL that season. After Carney’s injury, the Orange lost momentum. Ella Simkins earned a late yellow card, and Boston College sank a game-winner with a minute left, winning 14-13.

Second game, April 24:

Despite losing Carney on the offensive end, the biggest change for the Orange in the latter game of their doubleheader was on the defensive end. Syracuse moved to a man-to-man set after its zone was exposed by the Eagles in the first game.

Following the defensive switch, the Orange’s defensive success came against North, who recorded five goals and an assist in the first matchup of the doubleheader. The man-to-man defense was kryptonite for North, as she was held scoreless in the 16-7 SU victory.

Offensively, Syracuse replaced Carney with sophomore Emma Tyrrell, moving her up to attack from her usual midfield position. Tyrrell said she was hesitant during her first start at attack, but she still dominated, recording six goals.

Third game, April 30:

In the ACC Tournament semifinals, the Orange faced the Eagles for the third time in less than 10 days. This was the most exciting matchup between the two squads, ending in a 19-17 win for Syracuse.

Emma Ward was the deciding factor in Syracuse’s win, finishing with five goals and an assist. Head coach Gary Gait said postgame that Ward’s dominance was because of the attention Boston College put on the Tyrrell sisters, as it had torched them in previous games.

Ward’s most important score came after the Eagles went on a 7-0 run in the second half to take a one-goal lead. The Orange recorded a sole shot during BC’s offensive explosion, but Ward wasn’t finished in the game. She found the top left corner of the net, twice, to take back the lead with less than two minutes left.

The Boston College report

Boston College has one of the most efficient offenses in the country, averaging 16.8 goals per game. That mark is the fifth-best in the country, but more importantly, it’s the best average in the ACC. BC also leads the conference in shots on goal per game, averaging 24.5.

The Eagles’ offensive prowess has peaked in the NCAA Tournament. In four tournament games, BC averaged 18 goals per game, with its defense only allowing 9.3 goals per game.

How Syracuse beats Boston College

Like its matchup against Northwestern in the semifinals, the most important aspect for Syracuse is its defense. The Orange have three main defenses they’ve used this year: a high-pressure zone, a man-to-man defense and a low-pressure “backer” zone. Using these sets, the Orange were able to stop the nation’s leading scorer Izzy Scane, and they need to repeat that against North on Sunday, Gait said.

“We have one really successful game against (North), and we’ll use multiple defenses, face guards and no face guards because she is a super dynamic player,” Gait said. “Much like (Scane), we’ve got to not give her open, easy shots.”

If the Orange deliver as Gait expects, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be holding the NCAA title trophy by the end of championship Sunday. If the saying “defense wins championships” rings true, Syracuse will win its first championship in school history, in its third trip to the title game.