Virginia Defeats Japan National Team, 18-12
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. The Virginia women’s lacrosse team used a five-goal run midway through the second half to break open an even 11-11 contest, and hold off the Japan National team, en route to an 18-12 victory on Sunday morning.
Senior Jenny Hauser sparked the run, finishing a pass from junior Kaitlin Duff, putting the Cavaliers up 12-11 with 11:13 to play. Junior Brittany Kalkstein won the ensuing draw control and heaved a pass ahead to an open Duff, who won a one-on-one battle with Japan’s goalkeeper, giving Virginia it’s first two-goal lead of the contest.
Senior Ashley McCulloch then tallied at score at the 8:56 mark, before Weymouth capped off the run with back-to-back goals, bringing Virginia’s lead to 16-11.
Japan halted the streak with a goal, but Hauser and junior Caity Whiteley notched the final two goals of the game to bring the final score to 18-12.
In the first half, Whiteley opened scoring just 1:23 into play, but Japan rallied for five-straight points to take a comfortable 5-1 lead by the 20:18 mark. Freshman Bailey Fogarty got the Cavaliers out of their scoring drought with a goal at 15:54, but Japan maintained its advantage with another score.
At the 14-minute mark, Kalkstein sparked a 3-0 run for Virginia, in which McCulloch and freshman Josie Owen contributed goals, cutting Japans lead to one, at 6-5.
Virginia closed out the half with three unanswered goals, from McCulloch, Duff and redshirt junior Whit Hagerman, to take an 8-7 advantage into the intermission.
McCulloch had four goals in the contest, while Hauser had three. Duff, Hagerman, Weymouth and Whiteley each contributed two, while Fogarty, Kalkstein and Owen rounded out the scoring with one score apiece.
The contest concluded the Cavaliers’ play at the fourth-annual Champion Challenge A US Lacrosse event being held at Disney’ Wide World of Sports Complex. Virginia will conclude its preseason scrimmages on Saturday, Feb. 14 at UPenn before hosting its season opener against Virginia Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m.