The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2023-24 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.
There have been moments of doubt for Elysia Laramie, who is a sixth-year senior and is once again a Long Beach State women’s soccer captain.
“I think I’ve struggled with ‘It’s been six years, why am I still here?’” she said. “But I told myself, ‘I’m meant to be on this team, I’m meant to play with this group of girls,’ and I think tonight is showing me why I’m here.”
On Saturday night at George Allen Field, Laramie truly left a legacy by becoming the first player in LBSU history to score four goals in a game while leading her team to a 4-2 win over Boston College.
“I’ve definitely dreamed of it but it feels surreal, it really does,” Laramie said. “It’s a huge moment for me because of everything I’ve been through.”
All four goals came in the second half in a 16 minute span to break a scoreless tie.
“She does it all for us, and I couldn’t be happier or prouder of her,” LBSU coach Mauricio Ingrassia said of Laramie. “We weren’t happy with how we finished (against Texas on Thursday) and she said, ‘I realize there’s things I could’ve done better,’ and she took it for the team. That’s someone who is 100 percent team and just wants to win. She’s a great teammate, great captain and great leader.”
After LBSU used a methodical attack to control the first half, the Beach came charging towards Carpenter End in the second half. In the 47th minute, Cherrie Cox tackled the ball away at the end line and sent it into the Boston College 18-yard box. A shot and rebound went straight to Laramie for the finish at the near post.
About 10 minutes later, Cox played a long through ball for Julia Moore, who sent a perfect cross into Laramie for goal number two at the same post. Cox provided the assist on the hat trick goal five minutes later, and then Laramie made history 44 seconds after that on a header thanks to a beautiful pass from Kana Uchida.
“I was very much in the moment,” Laramie said. “I didn’t really process it until I was out (of the game) and realized I just scored four goals.
Laramie’s hat trick is the tenth in LBSU history and the fastest hat trick for the program since 2008.
“The highest quality in (the goals) were the passes from my teammates, they gave me perfect balls, all I had to do was tap it in,” Laramie added.
Cox is also the fifth LBSU player to provide at least three assists in a game since 2003, and the first since 2013.
Boston College scored two second-half goals after that against mostly bench players.
“I thought it was a fantastic performance,” Ingrassia said. “Every game tests and challenges us in different ways and we need that adversity to move forward. Tonight you saw a team that was super confident, especially in the second half, because of the last two games.”
LBSU played USC to a 1-1 draw in an exhibition, and narrowly lost to Texas. Both are ranked teams.
The game on Saturday night was rescheduled from Sunday because of incoming weather.
The Beach visits No. 13 BYU and San Diego State this week.
