If there was any doubt that No. 5 Boston College was “really” back this season, the Eagles announced this weekend that they are indeed ready to challenge for the national title once again after an 18-12 win over No. 4 Notre Dame on Sunday.

After falling in the NCAA championship game in 2017, 2018 and 2019, the Eagles never got on track in the shortened 2020 season. The Eagles were 4-3 with no ranked wins and losses to UMass, USC and Notre Dame when COVID-19 paused the season.

With prized transfers Rachel Hall and Charlotte North fully acclimated to BC, the continued development of homegrown stars like Jenn Medjid, Cara Urbank and others, and the arrival of star freshman Belle Smith, it’s been a vastly different BC team this year.

Boston College entered a two-game weekend series with a record of 9-1 and had won six straight since a 21-9 loss to North Carolina on March 6.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, came into the weekend off of an 11-10 loss to seemingly untouchable North Carolina.

But it was all BC in these matchups, beginning with a 19-11 win on Thursday.

On Saturday, the Eagles (11-1, 7-1 ACC) once again started hot, scoring the first five goals of the game and led 11-3 in a game it eventually won 18-12.

North scored six times, had 10 draw controls and found Urbank for this sweet goal between the Eagles top two scorers.

Boston College is locked in again against Notre Dame. Cara Urbank (2g, 2a) with the feed from Charlotte North (3g, 1a) to highlight a stellar first half. @BCwlax leads 11-3. pic.twitter.com/egv127TBRx

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 17, 2021

Urbank finished the game with four goals and two assists and Courtney Week added a hat trick. Playing back in her home state, Massachusetts native Madison Ahern led Notre Dame with four goals and an assist.

BC won’t get to relish in the big wins too long, another daunting two-game series awaits next weekend. The Eagles play at No. 3 Syracuse on Thursday and Saturday with Thursday’s game being nationally televised on ESPNU at 6 p.m.

Duke Wins Third Straight, Beats Virginia Tech

Led by Maddie Jenner’s dominance on the draw and three goals each from Katie Cronin and Caroline DeBellis, No. 8 Duke beat Virginia Tech 13-7 on Saturday.

.@DukeWLAX picked up another ACC win.

Katie Cronin gets a hat trick and Duke tops @HokiesLax 13-7. pic.twitter.com/MAUrDsSOKz

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 17, 2021

The Blue Devils (9-5, 4-5 ACC) jumped to an early 6-1 lead, before Virginia Tech switched goalies, replacing Morgan Berman with Angie Benson. Benson made eight saves while allowing just seven goals the rest of the way, but Tech could not dig out of the hole.

The Hokies (4-9, 0-7 ACC) closed to within 9-7 on Emma Crooks’ goal with 17:05 to play, but Duke’s defense close the door and the Blue Devils scored four goals in the final 8:15 to put the game away.

Jenner had 12 draw controls to help the Blue Devils to a 17-5 advantage and also scored a goal. Gabby Rosenzweig (2g, 2a) had a team-high four points for Duke and Sophia LeRose made six saves in the win.

Crooks, Paige Petty and Sarah Lubnow each scored twice for Virginia Tech.

Notable

Mount St. Mary’s pulled away from Wagner in the second half, registering a 15-9 victory that clinched at least a share of the Northeast Conference title for the Mount. Trailing 7-6 early in the second half, the Mount scored five straight to take command. Kate Kinsella scored six times as the Mount improved to 11-2 overall and 10-0 in the league.

Kate Kinsella drops goals and @Mount_WLAX stays unbeaten in conference play with a win over @WagnerWLax. pic.twitter.com/u9HLBgGWNU

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) April 17, 2021

Seniors Nicole Victory and Grace Zagaja each scored three goals as Navy celebrated Senior Day with a 12-5 victory over Colgate.

Sondra Dickey had six caused turnovers in Lehigh's 18-5 win over Lafayette. She now has 102 caused turnovers for her career, one away from the school record.

Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20 Scoreboard

No. 5 Boston College 17, No. 4 Notre Dame 12
No. 8 Duke 13, Virginia Tech 7

Other Scores

Army 15, Boston University 8
Bryant 15, Sacred Heart 10
Campbell 23, Presbyterian 8
Detroit Mercy 24, Youngstown State 12
High Point 19, Radford 4
Lehigh 18, Lafayette 5
LIU 13, St. Francis 12
Longwood 12, Gardner-Webb 11
Merrimack 19, Central Connecticut State 10
Mount St. Mary’s 15, Wagner 9
Navy 12, Colgate 5
Robert Morris 18, Akron 4
San Diego State 18, Fresno State 11
UC Davis 19, Oregon 9
UMBC 11, Vermont 8

Holy Cross at Colgate, PPD
American at Navy, PPD
Winthrop at Elon, PPD