CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – After a four-goal spurt to end the first half, the Virginia Tech lacrosse team held a 7-4 advantage at the half before Virginia got a foothold in the game and came back to win 13-10.
Grace Nelson scored the opening goal and Emma Harden poured in four, all in the first half
Paige Petty tallied two goals on the afternoon and in the process set the single season scoring record at Virginia Tech with 62 goals, eclipsing Dawn Will's mark of 61 in 2000.
History made ‼️@paigepetty26 etches her name in the history 📚with her 62 goals this season (and counting 👀)#eleVaTe | #Hokies🦃pic.twitter.com/meeqHUJUTW
— Virginia Tech Lacrosse (@HokiesLax) April 20, 2019
Tech now stands at 8-9 and 1-6 in the heading into the ACC tournament next week in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
The game was a part of the Commonwealth Clash presented by Virginia529. The Clash is now tied at 8.5.
Virginia improves to 12-5 and 3-4 in the conference with the win. The Cavaliers will be the five seed in the conference tournament.
For Virginia
- Avery Shoemaker and Nora Bowen each scored four goals for the Hoos
- Midfielder Maggie Jackson scored six total points (one goals, five assists) and corralled 10 draw controls.
- Charlie Campbell made 10 saves in goal
For Virginia Tech
- Emma Harden's four goals were a season best and tied her career high from when she scored four times versus Louisville in 2017.
- Morgan Berman made double digit saves for the fifth time this season
- Grace Nelson, a freshman from Raleigh, North Carolina made her first career start and responded with a goal, five caused turnovers and two draws and two ground balls.
Inside the box score
- Virginia had an edge in shots (32-29), ground balls (22-15) and draw controls (16-9)
- The Hokies' defense played well forcing 25 Cavalier turnovers
- Tech had three free position opportunities while UVA had 10
Quoting Coach Sung
- We were in control for a good part of that game. We checked a lot of boxes, scoring the first goal of the game, leading at halftime, scoring the first goal of the second half so I was pleased with that.
- These girls are learning that we have to be perfect and we had too many mistakes out there today which didn't all us to have a good result.
- The game changed there in the second half when we had an opportunity to extend the lead but we hit the post and UVA kind of got some momentum off of that.
- I thought Kendall Welch and Emma Harden were fantastic today. Emma had those four goals in the first half which forced them to switch it up and play with a player face guarding her.
What's next
- Tech will head to the 2019 ACC tournament, held at Boston College's Alumni Stadium next week. The first round will take place April 24-28.
- With loss, Tech will be the seven seed and play the two seed (to be determined) Wednesday, April 24 at 5 p.m.