The critics were silenced. The doubters were proven wrong.

With a 16-13 victory over Boston College at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., No. 1 Maryland finished the 2017 season undefeated and won its third NCAA championship in the past four years.

“Three for four isn’t too shabby,” said Terps senior captain Zoe Stukenberg.

The Tewaaraton finalist, alongside fellow captain and award finalist Nadine Hadnagy, was oblivious to the untouched season until the final whistle blew, said coach Cathy Reese.

The focus was on the team, taking one game at a time, not thinking about last year’s championship loss to North Carolina and building chemistry with the players they did have this season despite graduating Alice Mercer and Taylor Cummings, both Tewaaraton finalists with the latter winning the top honor three years in a row.

“There were a lot of doubters coming into this season losing two of the best players arguably to every play the game,” Stukenberg said. “I always get asked this question – What did you do to instill confidence in the younger players? And, you have such a young team – How do they play with poise?

“Nadine and I always answer that this is an easy group to lead,” she added. “All 10 seniors just did an awesome job in showing every single player on the field that they believed in them and they trusted them to finish this season out the way we wanted and the way that our class, I thought, deserved to go out.”

PHOTO BY JOHN STROHSACKER

It came down to how these players were groomed under the leadership of Reese, one of the most decorated coaches at the collegiate level as a three-time IWLCA National Coach of the Year, now with 11 national titles under her belt as a player, assistant and head coach at Maryland.

This season, the Terps remained self-motivated regardless of media headlines and stayed selfless on the field with six different scorers in Sunday’s title game and more than half of their 16 goals being assisted.

“I just can’t speak highly enough of her,” Stukenberg said, bringing Reese to tears in the postgame press conference. “We’re not just lacrosse players to her [and] we’re not lacrosse players to each other.

“We matter.”

It was that team mantra, playing for each other with each other, that the Terps came out on top, reminding the lacrosse world why they matter.

For every comeback attempt from Boston College, Maryland had a response of its own.

After being tied 5-5 at halftime, the Terps opened the second half with a five-goal run with two goals apiece from Caroline Steele and Jen Giles, as well as one tally from Megan Whittle.

The Eagles then scored three straight, including two from the 2017 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Kenzie Kent, but Whittle reminded her opponent that the Terps were still present with a quick transition goal after a defensive recovery and full-field clear. Again, BC fired two goals, but Maryland soon got two back.

Kent scored her final goal with 9:31 remaining before the Terps secured their game-winner from junior Taylor Hensh in the midst of one final three-goal run.

“It’s all about us this year,” said freshman draw specialist Kali Hartshorn. “It’s been our motto, and I think we really went out and we did do us.”

While the Eagles earned the last two points on the scoreboard, fighting back is what Maryland does.

The Terps didn’t lead against Stony Brook until the final 2:14 in its quarterfinal matchup and were well prepared to come back against Boston College. Reese preaches the need to convert on shots, and after shooting just 23.8 percent in the first half, Maryland went 73.3 percent in the second period to maintain control of the championship. Terps goalie Megan Taylor also secured nine saves in the second half compared to two for Boston College.

“The teams that end up on top are the teams that can battle back from being down [against] Stony Brook or the teams that can shoot 5-for-21 in the first half and find a way to win the national championship,” Stukenberg said.

The Maryland way is everyone contributing. The Terps are young, but the youth prevailed. Sophomore Caroline Steele led the Terps with six goals, tying the NCAA championship game record for goals, while adding one assist for a season- and team-high seven points.

“She was on fire,” said Stukenberg on Steele. “No one else was, and she stepped up.”

Hartshorn answered the questions in the midfield where Cummings once stood, recording a team-best seven draw controls. Hartshorn, who finished with three points, also scored the fastest goal of the season for the Terps as well as the fastest goal in NCAA championship history with the first goal of the game just 10 seconds in.

Then there was Hensh coming off the bench and tallying a hat trick, plus fellow upperclassman staples Stukenberg and Megan Whittle netting three points apiece.

“To take down Maryland is like slaying a dragon,” said Boston College coach Acacia. Walker. “We knew what we were going up against. Maryland's amazing. … Their coaches are amazing. Their players are some of the best.”

But Reese was the first to congratulate former ACC rival Boston College on a Cinderella story of their own, defeating No. 6 Syracuse, MPSF champion USC and Patriot League stunner Navy to reach the final four and its first-ever championship.

“They were a tough team today and a tough opponent,” Reese said. “They’re dangerous. We have a lot of respect for them.”

With their performance against the perennial power and proven best team in Division I women’s lacrosse, Boston College’s road to the championship won’t be forgotten. The Eagles were led by Kent, who finished with 10 points on five goals and five assists, breaking Maryland’s Jen Adams 2001 record for most points in an NCAA tournament with 37.

“They changed everything for BC,” Walker said. “Maybe now they’ll think that they’re good. … Look at what you’ve done.”

Both Maryland and Boston College shut down any negative reports in their own right, but it was the No. 1 Terps that get to take home the coveted trophy. 

“To have the season that they had this year, going undefeated, was something that’s really special,” Reese said. “Maryland lacrosse is something special.”