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No. 8 Virginia Faces No. 3 Duke Saturday at Klockner Stadium
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 8 Virginia women’s lacrosse team will host No. 3 Duke Saturday in an Atlantic Coast Conference game played at Klöckner Stadium. Opening draw is slated for 1 p.m. Live statistics will be available at VirginiaSports.com.
The Cavaliers bring an overall record of 5-3 and an 0-2 mark in conference play into the game. Virginia’s most recent contest at No. 10 James Madison was stopped at the 4:14 mark of the first half due to lightning in the area and will be replayed Wednesday, April 27. The contest was tied 5-5 when it was postponed.
Virginia’s quartet of juniors – Ainsley Baker, Charlie Finnigan, Julie Gardner and Josie Owen – continue to lead the offense. All four have scored in each of the Cavaliers’ contests this season and are led by Finnigan’s team-high 25 goals. Gardner leads the way with 14 assists, while she has also notched 18 goals for a team-best 32 points. Owen has reached double figures in both goals and assists, with 17 goals and 10 helpers, while Baker has contributed 19 goals.
Junior Bailey Fogarty paces the defense with 19 ground balls, 19 draw controls and 12 caused turnovers. The ACC Defensive Player of the Week earned seven ground balls, five caused turnovers and six draw controls last week.
In goal, sophomore Kim Kolarik has posted an 11.03 goals-against average, while her 60 saves rank 22nd nationally. She has also scooped up a team-best 21 ground balls.
Duke (8-1, 1-1 ACC) enters the contest riding a five-game win streak, including an 18-8 conference win over Virginia Tech last week. The Blue Devils’ only loss of the season was an 18-11 decision at No. 1 Maryland on Feb. 26.
The Blue Devils are led by Christie Kaestner and Emma Hamm, who have both reached 40 points. Kaestner has put up a team-best 45 points on 21 goals and a team-high 25 assists, while Hamm – the ACC Offensive Player of the Week – has a team-high 27 goals and 15 assists for 42 points.
Defensively, Hamm leads all field players with 18 ground balls and 39 draw controls, while Lauren Martin has a team-best 15 caused turnovers.
In goal, Mollie Mackler has posted a 9.90 goals-against average and has stopped 75 shots.
In the all-time series between the two programs, the Cavaliers hold the advantage, 18-8. In the regular season meetings, Virginia leads, 9-6, but in 12 of those 15 contests, the road team has come away with the win, including the last six-straight games and 10 of the last 11. Duke is currently on a five-game regular season win streak over the Cavaliers in Charlottesville.
Following the weekend, the Cavaliers will begin a three-game road swing, heading to in-state rival Old Dominion on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Virginia will then travel to Boston for contests at Boston College (April 2) and Harvard (April 3).