Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech women’s lacrosse team welcomed No. 4 North Carolina to Blacksburg and the Hokies were up to the challenge. Tech hung tight with the Tar Heels until UNC pulled away in the second half for the 12-8 win in an Atlantic Coast Conference match played at Thompson Field on a rainy Wednesday afternoon.
Tech drops to 4-7 on the year and 1-3 in the ACC, while North Carolina improves to 8-2 overall and 2-0 in the league.
UNC wasted little time opening the scoring and quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead, propelled by two goals from Kristen Taylor. Virginia Tech proceeded to slow down the tempo in order to chip away at the lead and Dylan Garner (So., Cornelius, N.C.) put the Hokies on the board on a free position shot with almost 22 minutes left in the half. The goal was Garner’s second in as many games and sixth of the season.
Six minutes later, the Hokies would strike again, this time on a goal from Jessica Nonn (Fr., Catonsville, Md.) assisted by Rachel Culp (Sr., Kent, Ohio). Culp added a score of her own shortly thereafter to knot the game at three-all with almost 13 minutes left in the first half.
North Carolina’s Becky Lynch gave her team the lead once again at the 12:02 mark, but Tech’s Allie Emala (So., Baltimore, Md.) delivered the tying goal, the first of three scores for the Hokie sophomore, six minutes later. Yet the Hokies were unable to take the lead and North Carolina again took a two-goal advantage with two minutes to go in the opening frame. Another goal from Nonn brought Tech within one, but the Tar Heels’ Corey Donohoe converted a free position shot with three seconds left on the clock. UNC led 7-5 at the intermission.
The Tar Heels again established a three-goal lead as Megan Bosica won the opening draw and fed Lynch for the score nine seconds into the second period. Emala picked up her second goal of the game at the 25:39 mark, but UNC’s Kristen Taylor extended the Tar Heel lead to 10-6 with two goals in a four-minute span. Taylor led all players with five goals and an assist on the day.
The two teams traded two goals apiece in the final 15 minutes and North Carolina captured the 12-8 victory.
Once again, the Hokies were evenly matched with their opponent, as UNC and Tech were nearly even in shots, ground balls and turnovers. The Tar Heels held the advantage only in draw controls, winning 14 to the Hokies’ seven.
Both keepers, Tech’s Kari Morrison and UNC’s Logan Ripley, made six saves in the contest.
Virginia Tech plays again on Saturday, March 28 at 1 p.m., welcoming Old Dominion to Thompson Field. The Hokies will also recognize the contributions of their two seniors, Culp and Morrison, as part of Senior Day.