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April 15, 2006
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The University of Virginia women’s lacrosse team opened up an 8-0 lead in the first fifteen minutes of their game against ACC-rival Virginia Tech, winning seven of the first eight draws and behind a goal and four assists from Nikki Lieb and two goals and three assists from Tyler Leachman. No. 3 Virginia (13-2, 4-1 ACC) led 10-2 at halftime and 12-5 at 53:19 when the game was called due to lightning in the area. US Lacrosse rules dictate that the game is considered legal and complete when 80% (48 minutes) of the game time has elapsed. Leachman led all players with four goals and four assists, while Blair Weymouth (4g, 1a) and Lieb (1g, 4a) each added five points. Lieb led all players with five draw controls, five ground balls, and four caused turnovers.
Lieb’s five draw controls give her 125 in her career, and she has moved up into fourth place all-time in school history, passing All-American Jamie Haas. Her four caused turnovers give her 79 in her All-American career, passing All-American Ashley Widger (’00), who had 78 in her All-American career. Ginger Miles had six saves in the game, surpassing the 100-save mark for this season alone. Leachman’s eight points give her 69 this season, and she now ranks sixth in scoring as a fourth-year. Her 42 goals are the eighth-best single season total for a fourth-year, while her 27 assists in 2006 ranks fourth all-time among fourth years and is the eighth-best single season total in school history. Her opening draw control was the 101st of her career and she now ranks tenth all-time in school history, tying her with All-American Gina Sambus (’02). Weymouth now has 60 points and has moved into the third-best mark in school history for scoring as a first year; her 19 assists ties her for second-best among helpers as a first-year with All-American Cary Chasney.
Virginia jumped on top early in the game as Leachman won the draw and the Cavaliers settled their offense briefly before Lieb fed a cutting Weymouth, who scored 44 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead. Lieb won the ensuing draw and took it upfield before hitting Weymouth again, who scored nine seconds after her first goal for a 2-0 lead 53 seconds into the game. An errant Tech pass sailed across their attack zone, and Jessy Morgan scooped up the loose ball to start a Cavalier possession. Virginia cleared the ball and Leachman drove to the cage before dumping the ball to Lieb, who scored at 2:06 for a 3-0 lead.
Miles made a save on a Hokie 8-meter shot and got the ball to Morgan, who ran it upfield to give Virginia possession in their attacking third. After settling the ball briefly Lieb fed a cutting Leachman, who scored at 5:46 for a 4-0 lead, with Lieb assisting three of the goals and scoring the fourth.
Megan O’Malley won the draw and Virginia advanced the ball quickly before Leachman fed Kate Breslin, who was in the arc. Breslin’s goal at 6:28 gave UVa a 5-0 lead. The Hokies got possession and took the ball into the arc where they lost the ball and Lieb was there to get the ground ball to give Virginia possession. She ran the ball upfield where she led Weymouth with a pass, who collected the ball on the run and scored at 9:32 for a 6-0 lead. Lieb won the ensuing draw and Virginia settled their attack. The ball fell to the pitch in the arc and Leachman alertly scooped up the loose ball and drove to the cage where she scored at 11:05. O’Malley again won the draw and Virginia settled the ball. An attempt was stopped by Tech, but Lieb redefended and got the ball back where Leachman dumped the ball over to Whitaker Hagerman, who scored at 14:19 for an 8-0 lead. Tech broke up the shutout with an 8-meter goal from Lindsey Peiper at 47:51.
The Cavaliers answered with an Alice Hughey ground ball below the goal line extended. Virginia cleared the ball quickly before Weymouth dumped the ball to the crease to a waiting Leachman, who scored, giving Virginia a 9-0 lead off Leachman’s hat trick 21:07 into the contest. Another Tech 8-meter goal, this one by Tash Fuchs, cut the deficit to 9-2 at 27:37.
Julie Hauser picked up the ground ball after Kim Connors stick checked the ball free, and Hauser started a clear that saw Leachman dump the ball into Jess Wasilewski, who quicksticked the ball into the cage for a 10-2 lead 38 seconds before halftime.
Tech opened up the scoring in the second half with a goal at 41:00 on a strike by Katie Russo. The Cavaliers answered right back, as Lieb won the draw control and brought the ball into the Virginia offensive third. The Hoos lost the ball briefly, but Weymouth’s defense on the clear gave the Cavaliers the ball back, and Breslin hit a cutting Weymouth who scored her fourth goal of the game at 41:46, 46 seconds after Tech’s goal. Virginia Tech responded with a solo strike from Katie Boyle at 43:51. Weymouth won the draw and Virginia got the ball in the hands of Leachman, who drew a foul as she drove to the cage. Leachman converted the free position at 44:52 for a 12-4 lead. Tech scored the final goal of the game as Fuchs dumped the ball to Stephanie Jones, who scored at 44:52.
The No. 2/No. 3 Cavaliers return to action on Wednesday, April 19 with a game at No. 4 Georgetown. Opening draw is at 3:45. Tonight’s game was the final ACC regular-season game for both teams; they are now awaiting seeding for the ACC Tournament. Tonight’s win was also worth one point in the Commonwealth Challenge, presented by Adelphi. Virginia has already clinched the inaugural series with a 14-6 lead.
Linescore 1 2 F recordsVa Tech 2 3 5 (7-8, 0-5 ACC)Virginia 10 2 12 (13-2, 4-1 ACC)
Scoring summary:0:47 VA Weymouth Lieb 1-00:53 VA Weymouth Lieb 2-02:06 VA Lieb Leachman 3-05:46 VA Leachman Lieb 4-06:28 VA Breslin Leachman 5-09:32 VA Weymouth Lieb 6-011:05 VA Leachman — 7-014:19 VA Hagerman Leachman 8-047:51 VT Peiper 8m 8-121:07 VA Leachman Weymouth 9-127:37 VT Fuchs 8m 9-229:32 VA Wasilewski Leachman 10-241:00 VT Russo — 10-341:46 VA Weymouth Hagerman 11-343:51 VT Boyle — 11-444:52 VA Leachman 8m 12-4
Scoring: VA: Leachman 4-4-8; Weymouth, 4-1-5; Lieb 1-4-5; Breslin 1-1-2; Wasilewski, 1-0-1; Hagerman, 1-0-1; Lieb 0-4-4; Weymouth 0-1-1;
NC: Fuchs 1-1-2; Pieper 1-0-0; Russo 1-0-1; Jones 1-0-1; Boyle 1-0-1
Goalies: VA: Miles (53 mins, 6 saves, 5 GA) VT: Carrie Hill (53 mins, 6 saves and GA TBA)
Draws: VA 11, VT 8Shots: VA 21, VT 14Ground balls: VA 25, VT 21Turnovers: VA 14, VT 20Caused turnovers: VA 12, VT 8Fouls: VA 13, VT 168-meter placements: VA 4, VT 48-meter shots: VA 4, VT 5Clearing: VA 12-15, VT 12-14