Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech lacrosse team entered the Inside Lacrosse Poll for the first time this season, making its debut at No. 17 Monday. Last week head coach John Sung and the Hokies earned two home wins, defeating Campbell 17-8 and taking down No. 10 Duke on Saturday 17-14.
Look who makes their season debut in the @ILWomen Poll this week at 1??7??#Hokies ?? pic.twitter.com/fXZAFfrqxO
— VT Lacrosse (@HokiesLax) February 26, 2018
"I think getting our whole team back together was huge," Sung said. "When we have everyone available it makes a difference when we're not having to sit kids, we're not having to play through injuries, when we have our team and we're fully healthy and 100 percent ready to go."
Freshman Emma Crooks has been a revelation in midfield, getting her first start Wednesday against Campbell. All she did was score eight goals on the afternoon. She also added an assist and five draw controls.
Her eight goals in a single game is the tied for the second highest total for a Virginia Tech player in program history.
"We had some freshman step up last week," Sung said. "Paige Petty had four goals, four ground balls, she had unbelievable stats. I think Emma Crooks was crucial in that game for us (Duke), her draw control ability to be a freshman and to be able to move the ball against some of those kids this week I think was just great in what she's done."
The Hokies have also seen great performances from Julia Bolte, an attacker from Moorestown, New Jersey. She recorded five assists in the win Wednesday and also scored two goals of her own.
Tristan McGinley led the Hokies with five goals against the Blue Devils bringing her season tally to 14.
"Watching our team step up and come together I think has been probably the best thing," Sung said. "Playing team offense and team defense is great and being able to manage a game from a team standpoint I think was something that we were able to execute, to be able to win these games."
"Duke is a fantastic team, they're super highly skilled, they've got so much tradition and for us to go out there and beat them twice in two years, kind of validates what we're trying to do here going out and competing against the best."
Tech is back on the field on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. for a clash with the George Mason Patriots from the Atlantic 10 Conference.
A season ago, the Hokies went to Fairfax, Virginia and defeated the Patriots 11-10 in overtime on a goal from Kristine Loscalzo.
Mason is 2-0 on the season in 2018 after defeating Monmouth and Longwood.