Plenty to celebrate in Hokies’ 2020 seasonPlenty to celebrate in Hokies’ 2020 season
Lacrosse

Plenty to celebrate in Hokies’ 2020 season

BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech lacrosse team learned that their season had been suspended hours after what stands to be the final game of 2020, a 13-11 defeat at Brown. The second part of the team's Spring Break trip, an ACC contest at Boston College did not come to fruition and the squad traveled back to Blacksburg. 
 
The Hokies put up a 7-3 mark in 2020, holding a ranking in the IWLCA Coaches Poll for the entire season. The .700 winning percentage represents the best season in program history.
 


 
The program won all four of its home contests in 2020, the first time that the Hokies had gone through a home slate undefeated. Tech won those four games vs. Davidson, Liberty, Radford and William & Mary by an average of 14.75 goals per game. The 23 goals scored against the Tribe tied a program record as did the 20-goal margin.
 



The Hokies enjoyed a 6-game winning streak for the first time in program history, spanning between a February 15 contest vs. Liberty through the March 4 matchup with William & Mary. Along the way, Tech dropped 20 goals at Cincinnati in the snow and got off to a 1-0 start in ACC play with an 8-7 win at Louisville. During the steak, Tech's average margin of victory was 12.5 goals per game.
 


 
Freshman midfielder Kayla Frank was the nation's highest scoring rookie in 2020 scoring 45 points on the season. She did so with 23 goals and 22 assists. Frank scored eight points in her Virginia Tech debut against Davidson and would tally hat tricks in five of the 10 contests this season. She made history on February 19 when she dished out eight assists in a game vs. Radford, setting a new program record. Frank notched back-to-back game winners during the Hokies' road trip to Cincinnati and Louisville. Her 45 points rank her sixth in D1 for the 2020 season.
 
Paige Petty registered 38 goals in 2020, the third-highest total in the nation. The Bernardsville, N.J. native who was once again recognized as a Tewaaraton Award Watch List member added five assists for a total of 43 points, good for a top 10 finish nationally. Petty continues to climb the record books in Blacksburg, finishing the 2020 season fourth in points scored (182), third in goals scored (162) and fifth in draw controls (185). She had a career-high 12 caused turnovers on the defensive side of the field.
 
Frank and Petty represent the second-highest scoring combination in the nation (88 points) trailing only North Carolina's duo of Katie Hoeg and Jamie Ortega (97). Both of Tech's midfielders were in the top 10 in D1 in scoring. They were joined in the midfield by junior Emma Crooks who registered 23 goals on the season. 
 
Tech's trio are the only set of three teammates to score 23 or more goals in the nation. 
 
Crooks, the Hokies' primary draw taker had 37 draw controls in 2020 and moved up to eighth all-time in draws with 129.
 
Tech's defensive unit ranked seventh in the nation with a 7.90 goals against average, thanks in part to the stellar play of goalie Angie Benson. The first-year Hokie recorded the second-best GAA (7.38) in the nation and made 83 saves including racking up double digit saves in four games. Benson made 16 saves in the Hokies' tight victory at Louisville. She also contributed 17 ground balls during the season.
 
Senior attacker Taylor Caskey had an even 16 goals and 16 assists this season and moved into third all-time at Virginia Tech in assists with 56. For her career, Caskey recorded 140 points. This season she had a career-best eight caused turnovers on the ride and redefend.
 
With the seven wins in 2020, head coach John Sung brought his record at Virginia Tech to 40-28 moving into second at the school in wins. Only Megan Burker (2011-2016) has more with her 46 accumulated over six seasons.
 
Tech's senior class ranks first in program history with 40 wins, two more than the class of 2019. This year's class consists of attackers Taylor Caskey and Kara Reichert, midfielder Kiley Kettle, defenders Kendall Welch and Mary Clare McCarthy and goalies Sydney Gagnon and Angie Benson.