Sam Apuzzo, Dempsey Arsenault and Kenzie Kent knew the day was coming when they’d have to face each other, not play together.

Only three weeks after they were helping Boston College to the NCAA championship game, they were playing in the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League as they started to go their separate ways.

“It was so fun and exciting that we were all drafted, and it was even better that we went 1-2-3,” Apuzzo said. “We were just excited to be able to continue to play, but it was upsetting to not be on the same team for once. But it was good that we could still play.”

The trio was in the midst of ACC tournament preparations with BC when they were selected with the first, second and third picks in the WPLL Spring Draft back on Apr. 25.

“I thought it was awesome to see BC be the top three,” said Kent, who was selected third by the Command. “BC hasn’t really been a top tier program for a long time. I thought it was great for our program. I was really excited for Sam and Dempsey but obviously sad not to be on their team.”

The trio stepped up to another level together over the weekend when they joined their WPLL teams in action. Apuzzo, the top overall pick, and Arsenault, the No. 2 pick, made their pro debuts against each other Friday in Richmond, Va., with Apuzzo’s Fight coming out on top, 15-12, over Arsenault’s Brave.

“It was different,” Apuzzo said. “In practice, we go against each other, but I’d never played against her in a game so it was different. I can't say I really enjoyed it. We were against each other a couple times and we were kind of laughing. It was funny but she's definitely a really sick defender and I don't want her to play defense on me again.”

Both were quick to make an impact at the pro level. Apuzzo had two goals and two assists and three draw controls. Arsenault had two goals and an assist and won a game-high six draw controls.

“I was just kind of chasing the ball and trying to get the second opportunities, just doing what Kayla taught us throughout all these years,” said Arsenault of BC assistant coach Kayla Treanor, who also plays with Apuzzo on the Fight. “I just got some lucky bounces and was able to come up with a few of them.”

Katrina Dowd was named the Player of the Game after scoring four goals with one assist. Taylor Cummings had a goal, assist, four ground balls, five draw controls and three caused turnovers. Brave goalie Kelsea Donnelly made nine saves in three quarters of play, and Marie McCool had two goals and an assist for the Brave. The win moved the Fight to 2-0, twice as many wins as they had all of last season. It’s the Brave’s first loss in a WPLL regular-season game.

“Playing against Sam and Kayla was definitely fun,” Arsenault said. “I’d much rather have them on my team than play against them, but it was an awesome experience and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. They both take the draw so I knew I'd face them in that area but I actually didn’t match up head-to-head with them too much. I was just always aware of where they were because they’re so dangerous. I had that awareness of them just because they're so talented.”

Kent made her pro debut the next night. The attacker tied Samantha Nemirov for Command team-high honors with two goals and a game-high five ground balls in an 18-5 loss to the Pride on Saturday before 1,500 fans in Richmond.

“It was awesome and a really good atmosphere,” Kent said. “There were a good amount of people at the game watching. It was a lot of fun to go against a lot of those girls and play with some of those girls I've watched growing up so it was an awesome experience, aside from the loss.”

Halle Majorana scored the first two-point goal of the season and was named the Player of the Game after leading the Pride with seven points on three goals and three assists. Alex Aust had four goals, Mollie Stevens had three goals, Katie Kerrigan had three assists, Sydney Pirreca had two goals, Olivia Hompe had two assists and Sammy Jo Tracy had two goals as the Pride set a new WPLL record for goals in a game.

“I think it'll take time, just it's hard when people are coming out of college off different teams and we don’t get a lot of time together as a team so you're kind of figuring things out on the spot,” Kent said. “There isn’t a lot of time with practices and stuff. It’s completely different than the college game. It’ll become more competitive as it goes along. Everything good takes time.”

Apuzzo, Arsenault and Kent are believed to be the first trio from one program selected 1-2-3 in the same professional sports draft year. They led Boston College to three straight national championship game appearances, but the Eagles never won the NCAA title. They lost to Maryland, 12-10, on May 26, but the WPLL gave them another opportunity to play and look ahead.

“You always kind of want to feel sorry for yourself, especially after the national championship, but with the pro game, it’s exciting because I know I'm not done like some other people are finished with their careers,” Apuzzo said. “It's comforting to know that I still have some so much more to do. I was happy that I was not done with lacrosse totally and I had something to look forward to.”

The three have other opportunities as well. They were together again among the 36 players at the U.S. senior women’s national team camp for three days last week leading into their pro debuts.

“We had double sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday and then we had a scrimmage on Thursday and then a few of us actually went right to our practice that night and then we played the next day,” Arsenault said. “So we were pretty tired but also it was a good week of lacrosse.”

The scheduling meant that players from the NCAA final four teams got only a short break before another intense week of lacrosse.

“You go right into things so you don't really get complacent or whatever,” Apuzzo said. “You're continuing on which is nice, and it's one thing into another not like you’re just sitting around. I don’t mind. But after this week with the U.S. and the pro game, I’m going to take a little break until our next pro game.”

The trio will return to the site of the NCAA final four for their next WPLL action at Homewood Field in Baltimore on Sunday. Dempsey’s Brave will play the Fire at noon and Apuzzo’s Fight will take on Kent’s Command as Kent faces off against one of her classmates for the first time.

“I think it’ll be hard not to really jump up and cheer for them when they score,” Kent said. “There obviously will be scoring in those games so that would be the hardest part – having to stay quiet when they do something really cool on the field. But I’m really excited to see a familiar face across the field.”

The three are among the recent college graduates who are adjusting to the professional game. There are new rules and new teammates.

“I think the biggest difference between the college and the U.S. and pro is everyone is fast,” Apuzzo said. “It's not just like the midfielder running up the middle of the field. The defenders and attackers are moving at such a fast pace, which is a lot different than college where you kind of have time to settle it. It's exciting and it almost feels like basketball going back and forth. I think the speed is what I’ve had to adapt to more than the other things.”

Said Arsenault: “The U.S. and the pro games are a lot faster paced and there’s more free playing and working in chemistry. For BC, everything we did was thought out and very methodical and we kind of had a plan, where this is more freestyle and feeding off each other for the pro and the U.S. teams.”

The pro game is designed to be faster and showcase the skills and creativity of the top players in the world.

“I think with the shot clock, you’re a little more rushed,” Kent said. “Obviously with girls you've never played with before and having it only be six girls in the offensive end, I think it just takes a little time to build chemistry with people. It’s definitely a lot different but it’s still lacrosse. A lot of people found success in just going 1v1 and creating offense that way. Playing with those girls who you’ve never played with before and not really having any set plays or any chemistry yet with people was a challenge.”

All three have to adjust to a new set of teammates. Some of them, they have worked with during national team training, but they don’t have the years of training together that helped them become the most prolific attack in BC history.

“It's definitely challenging because we knew each other so well and were so used to playing with each other and have such a good connection,” Arsenault said. “So now it's just kind of challenging trying to find other people that you have that same connection with and can work off that. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season to kind of build on those connections I've already kind of made this past game and just improving those.”

The three bring the sort of star power that the WPLL has touted. They showed in their first games that they aren’t out of place at the pro level.

“I wasn't really sure what to expect going into it,” Apuzzo said. “I watched the first game at home but the rules are definitely different with the restraining line at the midfield, but I was just so impressed with how many people were involved in the pro game. There were a ton of fans and young girls at the game. There’s so much support for the league which I thought was incredible. I was so excited. There was so much support for both teams, like girls had little posters which I thought was so sweet. I just love to see how much it’s growing even from last season to this season.”

Apuzzo is coaching club lacrosse this fall before she heads back to BC to begin course work toward a master’s degree in sports administration while serving as a graduate assistant coach for the Eagles. Kent will be done with her master’s in sports administration this August. Arsenault is sorting through her professional opportunities. The three still have plenty of lacrosse ahead of them at the highest level after finishing their college careers, and playing in the WPLL this summer will only help them develop into more dynamic players as they each take their own paths.

“It's just another opportunity to grow the game and to play the game that we love,” Arsenault said. “So any chance you can get to get out there and just showcase everyone's talents and just play together is an awesome opportunity. It’s been amazing.”

I’LL TAKE 2

Halle Majorana’s two-point goal on Saturday was the first of the season and third in WPLL history. It’s the first in the league since June 9, 2018, when Sammy Jo Tracy’s two-pointer was also a game-winner for the Pride. The first in league history came from Kara Mupo of the Command on June 2, 2018.

THE CUP OF PLENTY

The Command vs. Pride drew a large crowd Saturday in part because of the connection to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Association Champions Cup that was being held concurrently in Midlothian, Va. That brought plenty of fans for a look at the WPLL. The doubleheader with Friday’s Fight-Brave and Saturday’s Command-Pride games were the first WPLL games held in Virginia, the native state of such WPLL standouts Alex Aust and Kristen Gaudian.

BRAVE ADDITIONS

Haley Hicklen made three saves and allowed three goals for the Brave in one quarter of play Friday. The goalie was one of four players called up from the WPLL Player Pool to serve as full-time rostered players for the Braves for the remainder of the year. Dorrien Van Dyke also debuted and took one shot. Emily Gillingham and Gianna Bowe were added to the Brave and will debut in a later game.