Boston College looked mortal, beatable even.

Then the floodgates opened.

Trailing 10-9 at halftime, the top-ranked Eagles poured in 13 goals in the second half to defeat No. 13 Virginia 22-15 Wednesday in Charlottesville, Va.

Reigning Tewaaraton Award winner Charlotte North led the onslaught with six goals, Caitlyn Mossman added five and Jenn Medjud and Kayla Martello scored four each.

BC also turned up the heat on defense, harassing the Cavaliers into committing 20 turnovers, including 13 in the second half. Temple transfer Courtney Taylor keyed the defensive effort with six ground balls, four caused turnovers and four draw controls.

The Eagles (4-0) have outscored their first four opponents by a combined 84-35 margin and have scored 20-plus goals in three straight games for the first time since 2017.

Virginia (2-3) came closer than any team to date to knocking off the defending NCAA champs, but it came at a price as midfielder Courtlynne Caskin (three goals, two assists) left the game with what appeared to be a lower body injury. Attackers Rachel Clark and (five goals) and Ashlyn McGovern (four goals, one assist) led UVA in the loss.

IRISH RALLY FALLS SHORT

Notre Dame nearly came all the way back from a five-goal fourth-quarter deficit, but the rally fell short as No. 5 Northwestern held on for a 17-16 victory over the Fighting Irish, who fell out of the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20 this week after consecutive losses to Michigan and Vanderbilt.

Lauren Gilbert was sensational for the Wildcats (3-1), scoring seven goals on 7-for-9 shooting and flashing her speed to beat a triple team in the final seconds as Northwestern killed the clock. Four of Gilbert’s goals came on free-position shots. The Wildcats as a team converted nine of 13 attempts from the 8-meter arc.

There were 44 fouls and eight yellow cards assessed in the game, none more costly than the one on Notre Dame’s Madison Mote with 2:53 remaining. The Irish (1-3) had scored four goals in the previous five minutes to turn a 16-11 deficit into a one-goal game. But Northwestern’s Hannah Johnson scored on the free position to make it 17-15 and Jill Girardi corralled two crucial draws in the final minutes — including the final one after Mote found Maddie Howe for a goal with 17 seconds left.

LIBERTY DOWNS VIRGINIA TECH

One week after Virginia Tech defeated James Madison for the first time in school history, Liberty returned the favor Wednesday, notching its first-ever win over the Hokies in dramatic fashion.

Trailing late, the Flames (1-2) scored five fourth-quarter goals to send the game to overtime. Mackenzie Lehman won it, dodging Virginia Tech midfielder Sophie Student down the left alley and protecting her stick all the way across the face of the goal before scoring to lift Liberty to a 15-14 victory.

Down goes VT!@LibertyWLAX takes down No. 20 Virginia Tech as the early season surprises continue pic.twitter.com/mfxQXYAHtO

— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) February 23, 2022

Jordan Baerga, who scored the game-tying goal with 3:46 left in regulation, and Brooke Bryan led the Flames with three goals apiece.

Sarah Lubnow paced the Hokies with three goals and four assists.

NOTABLE

• Sydni Black had three goals and two assists and Jillian Wilson (three goals, nine draw controls) staked No. 8 Loyola to a sizeable advantage in draw controls (19-8) as the Greyhounds held off Towson 13-11.

• Katie Lutz scored with 20 seconds left to lift Columbia to a 10-9 win over LIU. Under the direction of first-year coach Anne Murray, the Lions are 2-0 for the first time since 2010.

• Trailing by one in the fourth quarter, Navy scored five unanswered goals in 90 seconds en route to a 13-11 win at Mount St. Mary’s.

HOW THE NIKE/USAL TOP 20 FARED

No. 1 Boston College 22, No. 13 Virginia 15
No. 5 Northwestern 17, Notre Dame 16
No. 8 Loyola 13, Towson 11
Liberty 15, No. 20 Virginia Tech 14 (OT)

FULL SCOREBOARD

Akron 11, Kent State 6
American 15, George Mason 14
No. 1 Boston College 22, No. 13 Virginia 15
Canisius 14, Saint Francis 8
Columbia 10, LIU 9
Davidson 16, Campbell 13
Delaware 14, La Salle 9
Fairfield 14, Boston University 10
Iona 20, Central Connecticut 7
Liberty 15, No. 20 Virginia Tech 14 (OT)
No. 8 Loyola 13, Towson 11
Manhattan 14, Wagner 11
Navy 13, Mount St. Mary’s 11
New Hampshire 10, Merrimack 7
No. 5 Northwestern 17, Notre Dame 16
Penn State 18, Duquesne 4
Quinnipiac 11, Sacred Heart 8
Robert Morris 17, Detroit Mercy 9
UMass 17, Vermont 11
Villanova 12, George Washington 7
William and Mary 18, Old Dominion 11