Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech lacrosse team fell to No. 18 William & Mary at Thompson Field, 23-16. The Hokies were able to avoid the 10-goal mercy rule in their first-ever loss to the Tribe at home. Junior Allie Emala spearheaded the Hokie offense with her most productive game of the season, tallying six goals and an assist, while Grace Golden and Molly Wannen led the Tribe with five apiece.
William & Mary (4-3) came out attacking from the first draw as four different players scored before Tech (2-7) could get on the board in the 22nd minute. Emala buried two in a row to get things going for the Hokies and sophomore Morgan Widlake extended the run to three with a free position goal of her own.
Back-and-forth scoring would ensue for the remainder of the half, with most of the Tribe’s scoring coming in groups of two or three goals at a time. The Hokies were unable to score consecutively again until there was just over two minutes left in the half, when Emala struck again and junior Caitlyn Wier put away her first of the game.
Tech would nearly end the half on a three-goal tear, as Emala, Wier and the team’s scoring leader, Jessica Nonn, each found the back of the net, but Mary Zulty would break the rally with two seconds remaining in the half, scoring her third goal of the game.
The start of the second half was nearly a repeat of the first half with the Tribe scoring two quick goals right out of the break and adding on two more by the 20-minute mark. Emala’s persistence kept the Hokies battling, as she was again the first to break the Tribe’s run, also assisting sophomore Ryan Rotanz’s only goal of the game minutes later.
The Hokies gave it one last shot, scoring three goals in the final eight minutes of the game, but the deficit was too much for the team to overcome.
Both of Tech’s freshmen goalies, Alexis Carey and Alex Gale, saw time in goal as they rotated in and out throughout the game. Carey earned the start against the Tribe, making six saves. For William & Mary, Emily Geary played the full game in goal and made six saves on the day.
Tech will wrap up its three-game home stretch with a midweek match against Davidson at Thompson Field on Wednesday, March 24. The game will begin at 4 p.m.