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Cavaliers Place Four on All-ACC Academic Women's Lacrosse Team
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GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Virginia women’s lacrosse team placed four Cavaliers on the 2011 All-ACC Academic Women’s Lacrosse Team, as announced by the league office Wednesday. Junior Josie Owen is making her third-straight appearance on the team, while senior Liz Downs is being honored for the second time. Junior Charlie Finnigan and sophomore Megan Dunleavy are both first-time honorees.
Downs wrapped up her career as the top true defender in program history. A two-time All-American and two-time All-ACC team honoree, the Alexandria, Va., native was voted a team co-captain this year and the Team MVP by her teammates. She was one of just three defenders to make the 18-person All-ACC team and was one of four defenders in the nation to be honored among the 24 finalists for the Tewaaraton Trophy.
Finnigan, from Hampton, Middlesex, England, led the team with 43 goals and contributed at least one point through every regular-season contest this year. The attacker finished the season ranked third in the ACC with 2.53 goals per game and was seventh in the league with 3.35 points per outing. She notched a team-high 12 hat tricks this year, including scoring a career-high eight points on five goals and three assists at Syracuse. She also had seven points against Virginia Tech (four goals, three assists).
Owen contributed a goal in every regular-season game this year, finishing the season second on the team with 40 goals, 16 assists and 56 points. The attacker from Gibson, Island, Md., had multiple points in all but one game and multiple goals on 11 occasions, including recording seven hat tricks. She also led the team in draw controls, with 43, and won a career-best six at Harvard. She earned five draws on three other occasions.
Dunleavy finished the year second among all field players on the team in ground balls per game. The defender stepped into a starting role for the Cavaliers this year and finished the season with 29 ground balls, eight draw controls and eight caused turnovers. The Fairfax Station, Va., native scooped up a career-high five ground balls in a win over George Mason.
To be eligible for consideration for the All‐ACC Academic Team, a student‐athlete, regardless of classification, must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career.