No. 9 Virginia Opens Season with 20-5 Win Against Liberty

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia women’s lacrosse team opened the 2025 season with a 20-5 victory against Liberty on Friday (Feb. 7) at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.

The No. 9 Cavaliers jumped out to a 5-0 lead, with five different players scoring in the first 12 minutes of the contest. Liberty pulled to within four, 7-3, with 6:30 remaining in the second quarter, but Virginia scored two goals to close out the half and took a 9-3 lead into the break.

The second half was all Virginia, with UVA scoring nine unanswered goals to lead 18-3 before the Flames ended their scoring drought with 6:33 remaining in the final quarter.

Sophomore Jenna DiNardo led the team with four goals while also adding an assist. Sophomore Addi Foster scored two goals with four assists. Freshman Jayden Piraino had a hat trick in her Cavalier debut, scoring three goals on four shots.

Junior goalkeeper Mel Josephson made seven saves, while Liberty’s Rachel Hines stopped 13 shots.

FROM HEAD COACH SONIA LAMONICA

“I thought overall, fantastic effort. I love the fire that we started a show, more I think in the second half. Hunting ground balls more and doing it as a team. I think our offense had a phenomenal game, obviously, putting up twenty goals. There was great chemistry and great connections. Mel, in the cage today, made some phenomenal plays. I’m really, really pumped about her play.”

NOTES

• Virginia held a 39-13 edge in shots
• Liberty had the advantage in draw controls, 17-12
• Freshman Alex Reilly scored her first career goal
• Freshmen Payton Sfreddo, Sophia Conti, Carly Kennedy, Abby Musser, and Gabby LaVerghetta all made their collegiate debuts in the game in addition to Reilly and Piraino

ON THE HORIZON

• The Cavaliers play at No. 17 Princeton on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 12 p.m.