Hokie ClubSYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Virginia Tech lacrosse team returned to the road and conference play Saturday morning, falling 22-8 to the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. Megan Will and Meghan Macera each scored twice for the Hokies, while Kayla Treanor led the Orange with four goals.
Syracuse (9-4, 2-2 ACC) was he first to strike in the game, but Macera was quick to tie things up in the opening minute of play. Macera knocked the loose draw forward towards the Syracuse cage and eventually was able to pick it up and bury the shot to get Tech (6-8, 0-5 ACC) on the board.
The Orange responded quickly as Treanor sparked a five-goal run for Syracuse that would make it a 6-1 game. Nearing the midway point in the first half, Will ended the lull for Tech, putting away a free position shot.
Syracuse went on another short run before the Hokies strung together a scoring streak of their own. Jessi Thon won the draw and sprinted straight to the goal to get things going for Tech. Tristan McGinley added another goal when she picked up a loose ball after a shot by Will ricocheted off the opposite post, and threw it straight back in the cage.
Colleen Ward buried a free position shot for Tech to keep things going, but the Orange added three more to close out the first half and take a 13-5 lead into the halftime break.
Despite the lopsided score, the stats portrayed an evenly matched first half, as Tech held the slight 18-15 shots advantage, while Syracuse won 10 of the 19 draws.
Halle Majorana tacked on another goal for Syracuse just inside of the opening ten minutes of play in the second half, and Tech seemed to start a run just three minutes later. Will put away her second goal of the day on a free position attempt, and Macera took the following draw from Meg Bartley and went straight to the cage for the goal. But the run would stop there.
Syracuse added eight more goals before the end of play to keep the game out of reach. Mary Claire Byrne scored on a pass from Thon with just 23.2 seconds remaining.
The Orange outshot Tech 33-28 in the game, while draws were tied at 16. Bartley led Tech on the draw, matching her career best for the second time this year with 10 draws.
Meagh Graham got the start in cage for the Hokies and split some time with Hannah Sieger during the first half, but she remained in cage during the second half. Graham finished her 54 minutes of action with six stops and allowing 19 goals. Seiger played six minutes and allowed three goals.
The Hokies return to the field on Saturday, April 11 to host Boston College at noon in their season finale at Thompson Field.