Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech lacrosse team is set to begin their 2020 campaign in Saturday afternoon with a 2 p.m. matchup with Davidson from the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Hokies will be led by a trio of All-ACC performers from a season ago, now juniors – Paige Petty, Emma Crooks and Elena Ricci.
After just two seasons the Bernardsville, New Jersey native Petty has already placed herself amongst some of the best to ever play at Tech. Petty is the only Hokie to ever earn multiple first team All-ACC awards, multiple IWLCA All-Region selections and an All-American nod in 2018.
She begins the 2020 season ranking 10th in career points, sixth in goals, and seventh in draw controls in Virginia Tech history
She added All-ACC Academic Team to her list of accolades last season and has been recognized by the state's sports information directors as an All-State performer twice. Petty has also been featured on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List, an award given annually to the top player in the nation.
For the second consecutive year, she was recognized as an All-State player by the state's sports information directors.
Petty concluded the 2019 season with a 3.26 career goals per game average, which ranked 10th amongst active student-athletes.
During the 2019 season, Petty's single-season totals included:
- Most goals in a single season (66)
- She is sixth all-time in goals (124)
- She is tied for tenth in points all-time (139)
- Tied for first for the most points scored in a single season (74)
Crooks and Ricci were both second team All-ACC selections in 2019 for the first time. Crooks, from Great Falls, Virginia was the primary draw taker for the Hokies, and led the squad with 68 draw controls in 2019. She was also second in goals (40) and points (46). Defensively, the midfielder caused nine turnovers and grabbed 20 ground balls. Ricci from Alexandria, Virginia was another factor on the draw circle, where she had 65 on the season. Defensively, she caused 16 turnovers and scooped up 38 ground balls.
The All-ACC trio combined to corral 85% of the Hokies' draw controls a season ago.
The squad's leadership quarter is Taylor Caskey, Morgan Berman, Crooks and Kendall Welch who were named team captains in the fall.
Tech has a talented crop of newcomers on the roster in 2020 that includes highly touted freshmen Kayla Frank and Jacelyn Lazore in the midfield, but also transfer goalie Angie Benson.
"We are excited to welcome Angie into the lineup after her recent transfer to Tech," head coach John Sung said. "Angie was cleared for competition by the NCAA after having been out of the collegiate game for several years."
Benson, who last suited up in 2017 was a two-year starter for Towson went 28-11 in her two seasons with the team. In 2016, her freshman season, Benson helped the Tigers win the CAA Championship and advance to the Round of 16 in the NCAA's.
For her career, she has 8.06 goals against average, while compiling over 224 saves on 667 shots faced. The Palm City, Florida native had a 46% save percentage and was among the nation's top 20 goalies.
Her 6.93 goals against average in 2016 was the fifth best in the nation and the Tigers' scoring defense was ranked fourth.
Tech has won two of three season openers under fourth-year head coach John Sung.
GAME INFORMATION
Virginia Tech vs. Davidson
Saturday, February 8 – 2 PM
ACC Network Extra
- Bryant Johnson (Play by play)
- Dana Boyle (Color analyst)
THE WILDCATS
Davidson is coming off of an 8-9 season in 2019 and were chosen to finish seventh in the Atlantic 10 preseason and placed one player, junior defender Natalie Junior on the All-Conference Team. Junior, a defender had 30 ground balls 11 draw controls and 19 caused turnovers last season.
Junior attacker Olivia Carey is the team's leading returning scorer after recording 39 total points on 17 goals and 22 assists a season ago. Following her is sophomore attacker Gianna New who registered 37 total points in 2019.
In goal, Davidson returns senior Delaney Guhman who started 16 of the squad's 17 games in 2019 and posted a goals against average of 11.19. She made 138 saves, owning a 43% save percentage and collected 47 ground balls.
The Wildcats are led by 12th-year head coach Kim Wayne who has amassed a 93-101 record with the program.
THE SERIES WITH DAVIDSON
- The series began in 1995, and since then the programs have met regularly with the Hokies holding a 15-4 record, including winning each of the last nine games.
- In the last meeting in 2017, Tech raced to a 13-7 victory behind five goals from Tristan McGinley. Freshmen Taylor Caskey and Kendall Welch both found the net as well with two and one goal respectively.
NEXT TIME ON THE FIELD
- The Hokies are back on the field on Wednesday, February 12 to take on the xx-ranked James Madison Dukes at Sentara Park in Harrisonburg.
- Last season the Dukes earned a 14-8 victory over the Hokies at the Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility. Paige Petty led the Hokies with four points in the game.
- Tech has never beaten the Dukes in 17 attempts, dating back to the first meeting in 2001.
NEXT TIME AT THE BEAMER-LAWSON INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY
- The Hokies are back home at the Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility on Saturday, February 15 when they play host to the Liberty Flames.
- Tech has won all seven of the previous meetings with Liberty, including a dominant 15-2 decision in 2017 the last time the two shared a field together. Attacker Kristine Loscalzo led six Hokie goal scorers with four in the game and Taylor Caskey registered two of her own.