Eagles in the World Cup

When the planet’s best women’s soccer players gathered last summer in Australia and New Zealand for the World Cup, two former Boston College soccer stars stood prominently among them. Kristie Mewis ’13 played midfield for the United States, while Allyson Swaby ’18 was a defender for Jamaica.

Mewis, who graduated as BC’s all-time leading scorer, helped the US make it to the round of 16 match against Sweden, even converting a penalty kick during the overtime shootout. In the end, though, it was not enough, as the US fell to the Swedes, ending a disappointing World Cup for the favored American side.

Swaby, who was team captain during her senior year at BC, scored the only goal in Jamaica’s win against Panama, the nation’s first-ever World Cup victory. Swaby also helped to hold the powerful Brazilian team scoreless in a 0–0 tie that sent Jamaica to the knockout stage for the first time. The Jamaicans were ultimately eliminated in the round of 16, losing a 1–0 heartbreaker to Colombia.