Virginia Comeback Bid Falls Short at Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The No. 11 Virginia women’s lacrosse team (7-4, 3-3 ACC) suffered a 13-12 loss at No. 8 Syracuse (8-4, 4-2 ACC) on Saturday (March 29) at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.

The Cavaliers trailed by four goals to start the fourth quarter but tied it 12-12 on a goal with 6:30 remaining. Syracuse scored with 2:57 left in the game and held on for the win.

Sophomores Kate Galica and Jenna DiNardo scored three goals apiece. Senior Abby Manalang scored two goals, both during the fourth-quarter comeback. Sophomore Madison Alaimo had three assists.

Virginia had the early advantage, taking a 5-2 lead on a Galica goal with 4:07 left in the first. Syracuse scored three straight to end the quarter in a 5-5 tie. The Orange continued their tear in the second quarter, scoring twice to take a 7-5 lead with 6:38 remaining. Freshman Payton Sfreddo halted the run with a goal a minute later, but the Orange added two more goals in the final 2:05 of the period to take a 9-6 lead into the break.

The Orange led 12-8 at the start of the fourth quarter.

DiNardo started the Cavalier comeback, scoring with 9:11 left in the game. Manalang scored back-to-back goals in a 36 seconds span to cut the deficit to 12-11 with 7:13 remaining. Manalang won the ensuing draw that set up the game-tying free position goal from freshman Fiona Allen with 6:30 remaining.

Syracuse’s Caroline Trinkaus scored on a free position shot with 2:57 left in the game, a score that would prove to be the game-winner.

Virginia had the final possession of the game after sophomore Kate Demark caused a turnover and senior Maureen Duffy picked up the ground ball with 33 seconds remaining, but the Syracuse defense stifled Virginia’s attempt to get off a final shot and held on for the 13-12 victory.

FROM HEAD COACH SONIA LAMONICA

“I love the fight that we showed today and how we battled back and put ourselves in a position to tie it up late in the game. We’ll get better from this. We fought against a tough opponent, and yeah, it was a tough one, but we are resilient. We’ll keep building on this. We look forward to potentially seeing them again in the postseason.”

NOTES

• Virginia held a 33-30 edge in shots and 16-13 edge in draw controls
• Junior goalkeeper Mel Josephson made eight saves. Syracuse keeper Daniella Guyette also had eight saves
• Kate Galica had six draw controls. She reached the 100 draws benchmark for the season and the 200 career draws mark in this game. She has 105 on the season and 202 in her career
• Jenna DiNardo’s hat trick was her eighth of the season. She leads the team with 31 goals
• Galica’s hat trick was her fifth of the year
• Between the end of the first (3:06 remaining) and the end of the second quarter, Syracuse went on a 7-1 run

ON THE HORIZON

• Virginia plays a midweek game at VCU on Wednesday, April 2
• The Cavaliers return home to host Louisville on Saturday, April 5 for Senior Day