2022 NCAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP

May 29, 2022

Acacia Walker-Weinstein

Charlotte North

Boston College Eagles

Homewood Field

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We joined by Boston College Coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein and Charlotte North and Jenn Medjid.

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: I'm really proud of my team. I'm proud of my seniors, proud of the program. It was a really tough game. Carolina was excellent everywhere around the field. I give them so much credit.

But I'm really proud of my team for fighting. To get here is really difficult. To win is even harder. But I'm really proud of our girls and their fight.

Q. Charlotte and Jenn, it was obviously a very tough time for this question but this moment, this atmosphere, game on ESPN, just how big of a moment for the sport did it feel?

CHARLOTTE NORTH: I think it's huge. The game is in a great place and it's only growing more.

Q. Charlotte, with the way the sport's growing, it's in great hands but for you, since you've gotten to Boston College, what has the experience of being an Eagle been like for you?

CHARLOTTE NORTH: I can't really put it into words (tearing up) I'm forever grateful for Acacia letting me be a part of this special family. I have the best teammates in the world, that's the hardest part of this is having to walk away from them but I'm forever indebted to them for giving me the memories of a lifetime (fighting back tears).

Q. Was North Carolina doing anything defensively to try to keep the offense under wraps?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, I think they adapted really well to the different changes that we had. I just think we needed to have a few more plays there at the end. Could have made some different coaches -- coaching calls to help.

But they were -- they were amazing today. North Carolina was amazing, and so were we.

Q. Friday was more of an up-and-down game. This was more methodical, a little slower. Was that the game plan going in, that you wanted to slow everything down and keep possessions low?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, it was. We changed a little bit of our transition game today to try to have a little bit more left at the end. It worked for a long time and then when we adjusted and tried to kick it back into gear, that also worked. But we just need to make a few more plays and yeah, I should have had them in a different position in the end.

Q. Can you explain a little bit what made Melanie Welch so effective today face-guarding Jamie, almost basically neutralized her on the defense. On a defense that has plenty of stars, why was the one who you chose for that?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: She's been doing that all season. People just haven't been noticing but she's been shutting down the best players in the country all year and it was a no brain for have her play on Jamie today. She's equipped for that moment mentally and physically, and so we knew it was her.

Q. Outstanding game and outstanding season, and it's a tremendous moment to see this many fans supporting women's lacrosse. Can you talk about what it's taken to get your team to a National Championship five years in a row.

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Well, these guys come to Boston College, you know, to have this incredible collegiate experience and the common denominator between all of these girls is their intrinsic motivation to want to be great in all aspects of their life: Academically, socially, professionally and athletically.

We demand so much from these guys and that's what's hurts is we expect so much and we push them, so, so much, to a point where it's -- you know, it can be unfair but they sacrifice so much of their life and they give so much to each other. I think that's how we get here, the girls deciding, making a choice to give up so much for each other to win.

We tell them this: Risk everything, with no guarantee, and I think that is so courageous and brave, and that's why I love them. I hope it's a lesson they will take into the rest of their life.

Q. 8,500 people here, and I'm sure a lot are fans who came to see Charlotte and Jenn. Them but the others on the team have had an impact on this program, but bigger picture, the way they have changed the trajectory of the sport.

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, they are such dynamic people. They are incredible lacrosse players, but watching them handle the fans -- we had 8,000 fans at a regular season North Carolina game, too. Watching how they treat the fans and the families and take the time to acknowledge them, and they are changing those kids' lives.

Every time Charlotte, Jenn, Belle, any of them sign an autograph, they are changing a kid's life, and I'm just so proud that they are not too big for that and don't have an ego. They take the time to treat those little girls the way they would have been treated. I think that's really the legacy is watching thousands and thousands and thousands of people follow our team around the country to watch them play.

Q. Taylor Moreno made 11 saves and two particularly in the last five minutes. Was she the X-factor for North Carolina?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, she's an amazing goalie, and I think unfortunately they have a lot of X-factors but Taylor was one of them today, and she played great. She's a tough goalie to go against but she's a great players and great person, and congratulations to her.

Q. Just talk about the impact Cassidy Weeks has had throughout this tournament. She has been playing so hard this entire season, sometimes the two-way middies, you don't realize how many hits they take, but the contribution she's made to your team this year?

ACACIA WALKER-WEINSTEIN: Yeah, I think the two-way middies were showcased today, with Belle and Cassidy and Ally, I'm happy that they are on this big stage because two-way middies, it's the hardest job.

But Cassidy, with her work is like 20 years of hard work. This kid, she has this drive and commitment to the sport since she was a little girl, and I'm just happy that on this stage, she was able to kind of showcase that and get a little bit of the spotlight because hard working players like that deserve it, and I'm proud -- I'm so proud of Cassidy.