BALTIMORE — North Carolina’s plan to combat Boston College’s high-powered offense was plainly evident.

Anybody but the Big Three.

The Eagles showed they had more in their arsenal than just their All-American trio of Sam Apuzzo, Kenzie Kent and Dempsey Arsenault in their NCAA semifinal showdown with the Tar Heels at historic Homewood Field on Friday. But with the game on the line in double overtime, strategy took a back seat to talent.

Apuzzo, the reigning Tewaaraton Award winner, broke free from the shackles of Emma Trenchard, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and scored the game-winning goal to lift Boston College to a 15-14 victory and a spot in the NCAA championship game for the third straight year.

“The girls around me were doing their job and making it easy for me to have a 1v1,” said Apuzzo, who was face-guarded by Trenchard for most of the game but still finished with two goals, an assist and eight draw controls. “I took my chance and was able to finish, thankfully.”

Here’s the game winner from Sam Apuzzo, sending @BCwlax flying high into Sunday’s #NCAAWLAX final. pic.twitter.com/cjc9WHiGnR

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) May 25, 2019

If Apuzzo was looking to give out thanks, she could start with the teammate seated to her left at the post-game press conference. Cara Urbank, a less-heralded member of BC’s vaunted offense who had quietly amassed 50 goals coming into Friday’s game, was largely responsible for the Eagles’ second-half surge that saw them take a 12-10 lead — an advantage that hardly seemed likely when BC fell into a 6-0 hole out of the gate.

Urbank scored a team-high four goals. Sheila Rietano (two goals) and Jordan Lappin joined Urbank among the unusual suspects who delivered in big spots. With UNC occasionally showing a triple-face guard on the aforementioned BC trio, the Eagles needed their secondary scorers to surface.

North Carolina had to pick its poison.

“Sam and Dempsey are two incredible athletes, very unselfish and hard-working. They present a big challenge for any defense,” said Tar Heels coach Jenny Levy, who has coached both of the BC stars with the U.S. national team. “Add Kenzie in there, and her IQ is off the charts. She could be a Tewaaraton finalist too.”

With Trenchard preoccupied with Apuzzo, Catie Woodruff harassing Kent (two goals, one assist) and the Tar Heels avoiding Arsenault (three goals) even when she was on defense, Urbank had plenty of room to operate.

“She sees herself as an important cog in their offense. We could tell that,” Levy said. “Someone’s got to score.”

Urbank acknowledged being defended straight-up while the Tar Heels bent their defense around her teammates provided additional motivation.

“Our motto this year was one play at a time,” Urbank said. “We slowly came back and ended up on top.”

BC also received a lift from backup goalie Lauren Daly, who relieved starter Abbey Ngai after North Carolina scored on its first six shots. Daly made seven saves, including a point-blank stop on Olivia Ferrucci streaking down the middle of the field in the first overtime.

“When you’re in the final four, you play every minute until the last minute,” Daly said. “Coming in when I did, the game wasn’t over yet, and it certainly wasn’t over for any of us.”

Lappin’s unassisted tally with 1:55 remaining put BC ahead 14-13. UNC’s Jamie Ortega responded with her fifth goal of the game, converting an Olivia Ferrucci feed just 51 seconds later.

BC had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but Apuzzo was stuffed at the goal line by Tar Heels goalie Elise Hennessey, who had replaced Taylor Moreno (10 saves) in the midst of the Eagles’ big rally. Hennessey then caused two turnovers on intercepted passes in the first overtime.

“We use our goalies for momentum swings and changes,” Levy said. “We hit a lull in the second half. We were turning the ball over in transition. We needed a shakeup. I wasn’t unhappy with Taylor. I just thought Elise could settle them down. Both of our goalies are fantastic.”

UNC’s Gianna Bowe nearly won the game in the first overtime, but she hit the post on a clean look off a face dodge at the right hash.

BC won the draw to start the second overtime, cementing its 20-12 advantage in the center circle, and got the look it wanted with Apuzzo dodging from behind the goal. She drew Trenchard up the field toward the 8-meter arc, split from right to left and finished her shot while fading down the alley.

“Great players make great plays in the moments they have to, and she did,” Levy said.

Both Levy and BC coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein said Friday’s nationally televised game — the third encounter between the ACC rivals this season, after UNC dealt BC its lone loss of the season in the conference title game — provided a great showcase for the sport. The announced attendance at Homewood Field was 8,508, the sixth-highest in NCAA tournament history and second-highest for the semifinals.

“A 15-14 overtime thriller on ESPNEWS. Way to go, women’s lacrosse,” Levy said. “We’re trying to grow this game, and we put on a show tonight.”

“It’s right where we want it to be,” Walker-Weinstein said. “ESPN stepped up and put it on TV. North Carolina and the Boston College girls put on a really good show. … Hopkins has been an incredible host. I’m just pumped. The world should be proud. Lacrosse is growing, and tonight was just further proof of that.”