TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 20 Virginia women’s lacrosse team (4-4, 3-1 ACC) picked up a 15-7 victory at Florida State (2-7, 0-5 ACC) on Sunday (March 8) at Seminole Lacrosse Complex in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Cavaliers scored their first goal 35 seconds into the contest and never trailed. Florida State kept it close in the first half, tying the game at 2-2 with 5:08 remaining in the first quarter, but UVA scored four straight goals to take back control. Virginia led 6-3 at the half, building up a seven-point advantage, 12-5, early in the fourth quarter.
Junior midfielder Kate Galica had 11 draw controls in the game. She became the program’s all-time leader in draws in the second quarter when she won her fifth draw of the contest, moving past Aubrey Williams (2021-23, 332 career draw controls) on the Virginia program all-time leaders list. Galica now owns UVA’s single-game (17), single-season (179 in 2025) and career (339) draw control records.
Galica also scored three goals and had an assist, one of three Cavaliers to record a hat trick in the contest. Sophomore attackers Gabby LaVerghetta and Fiona Allen each logged their first career hat tricks, with LaVerghetta scoring four goals. Allen scored three.
Grad student goalkeeper Elyse Finnelle had her second-straight double-digit save performance, stopping 10 shots.
FROM HEAD COACH SONIA LAMONICA
“Our draw team has continued to set us up with possession control, which put us in the driver's seat today. Kate has been such a catalyst, and it’s impressive to see her break the UVA draw control career record in just her third year. I thought FSU played us tough throughout, and cleaning up some stick work errors will be important moving forward. I’m proud of our group for showing consistency across all quarters, both in defensive stops and offensive output.”
VIRGINIA SCORING
GOALS: Gabby Laverghetta 4; Kate Galica 3; Fiona Allen 3; Jayden Piraino 1; Jenna Dinardo 1; Cady Flaherty 1; Payton Sfreddo 1; Fiona Allen 3; Livy Laverghetta 1
ASSISTS: Madison Alaimo 4; Jayden Piraino 1; Kate Galica 1
FLORIDA STATE SCORING
GOALS: Brooke Long 2; Lydia Ward 2; Meg Kenny 1; Summer Harrell 1; Amelia Brite 1
ASSISTS: Summer Harrell; Anna Ellis 1
NOTES
- Madison Alaimo had four assists
- Virginia held a 28-21 edge in shots, dominating the first half 15-5
- Virginia held a 16-8 advantage in draw controls, going 9-1 in the first half
- This was the second time in the last three games that Kate Galica won 11 draws
- This is the inaugural season for Florida State women’s lacrosse. This was the first meeting between the two teams
UP NEXT
- The Cavaliers return home to host No. 18 Princeton on Wednesday, March 11, at 5 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium
- Virginia also hosts No. 11 Clemson on Saturday, March 14, at 4 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on the ACC Network