Fueled by a mid-game scoring run, the No. 14 Virginia women’s lacrosse team (8-6, 2-4) defeated No. 5 Louisville (12-3, 3-3) this past Saturday, 10-9, for the Cavaliers’ third straight victory.
After going down 2-0 to the Cardinals less than four minutes into the first half, Virginia scored eight of the game’s next nine goals to take an 8-3 lead with 23:40 remaining in the match. Although Louisville made a late second half push, the Cavaliers were able to hang on and pick up their second ACC win and second road win of the season.
Senior attacker Kelly Boyd, junior attacker Kelly Reese, sophomore midfielder Kasey Behr and freshman midfielder Maggie Jackson all scored two goals for Virginia in the team’s upset victory. Junior attackers Posey Valis and Besser Dyson additionally chipped in one goal each.
Sophomore goalie Rachel Vander Kolk also had a strong day in the net for Virginia with 10 saves, which includes a critical save made with just five seconds left in the game to preserve the Cavalier lead.
Virginia held the advantage over the Cardinals in draw controls, 11-10. The two teams were even in shots attempted, 28-28.
Louisville scored the game’s first two goals less than 32 seconds apart to put the Cavaliers at an early 2-0 deficit with 26:16 left in the half. Boyd then put Virginia on the board with a goal on an assist from senior midfielder Mary Alati at the 18:19 mark.
The Cavaliers followed Boyd’s goal with three more goals by Jackson, Boyd — again on a Reese assist — and Dyson to put Virginia up 4-2 with 9:31 remaining in the first half. After the Cardinals responded less than three minutes later with a goal, Virginia tacked on two more goals by Reese on a Boyd assist and then Valis to take a 6-3 lead into halftime.
The Cavaliers opened the second half with back-to-back goals by Behr on an assist from Boyd and then Reese to take the team’s largest lead of the game, 8-3, at the 23:40 mark. However, a Virginia scoring drought that lasted over 17 minutes allowed Louisville to come back into the game, as the Cardinals then scored four consecutive goals to close the lead to 8-7 with 9:34 remaining.
A goal by Jackson broke the scoring drought for Virginia to put the team back up two at the 7:00 mark. Louisville responded quickly after by scoring a goal just 11 seconds later to make the score 9-8 Virginia.
The two teams traded goals again, as Reese scored for the Cavaliers with 4:48 left, and then the Cardinals scored with 4:38 left to make it 10-9 Virginia. Louisville had possession of the ball with 19 seconds left with a chance to send the game to overtime, but a Vander Kolk save on the Cardinal’s final shot sealed the game for Virginia.
The Cavaliers will next travel to face off against No. 1 Maryland (14-0) Wednesday. Virginia last played against the Terrapins — the two-time defending NCAA tournament champions — in 2014, in which they lost 15-9 to the Terrapins.
Maryland is led by senior midfielder Taylor Cummings, who has been the NCAA Women’s Tewaaraton award winner the past two seasons. The Tewaaraton award is given annually to the most outstanding college lacrosse player in the country.
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