CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 24 Virginia women’s lacrosse team (7-8, 5-4 ACC) defeated No. 10 Boston College (8-6, 5-4 ACC) by a score of 17-14 at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.
Sophomore Fiona Allen led the Cavaliers with a six-goal performance. Junior midfielder Kate Galica had seven points on two goals and five assists with 10 draw controls.
Allen had a hat trick in the first quarter, including scoring twice during a 5-0 run to end the period and put the Cavaliers up 6-2. Sophomore Gabby LaVerghetta scored 54 seconds into the second quarter to give the Cavaliers a five-goal lead, 7-2. After the two teams traded goals, the Eagles mounted a run of their own, scoring three goals in a two-minute span to cut the deficit to 8-6 with 7:08 remaining in the half.
Both defenses tightened up for the remainder of the second quarter, with UVA going into the break with that same 8-6 lead.
BC tied the game, 9-9, with 7:26 left in the third. The Cavaliers responded with back-to-back goals from junior Jenna DiNardo and sophomore Payton Sfreddo to take an 11-9 lead. Allen opened the fourth by scoring her fifth goal of the game, the start of three-straight goals for UVA to open the final period and build up a 14-9 edge.
The Eagles rallied with four straight goals to pull within one, 14-13, with five minutes left in the game. Galica scored to halt the run before Allen added an insurance goal to make it 16-13 with three minutes remaining. Galica scored with 1:20 remaining and then won the ensuing draw control to seal the victory.
VIRGINIA SCORING
GOALS: Fiona Allen 6, Payton Sfreddo 3, Gabby LaVerghetta 3, Madison Alaimo 2, Kate Galica 2, Jenna DiNardo 1
ASSISTS: Kate Galica 5, Madison Alaimo 1, Jenna DiNardo 1
BOSTON COLLEGE SCORING
GOALS: Giulia Colarusso 4; Kylee Colbert 4; Marissa White 3; Hanna Davis 1; Avery Hudson 1; Molly Driscoll 1
ASSISTS: Molly Driscoll 2; Casey Colbert 2; Marissa White 1; Caroline Chisholm 1; Giulia Colarusso 1
FROM HEAD COACH SONIA LAMONICA
“Joy. Just feeling joy. They put in a lot of hard work throughout the week. We knew we had things to work on, dig into and do better at. It's always just such a joy as a coach when you see that play out in real time, and that they came out and found a way to win against a really tough BC team. There was no relaxing at any moment of that game, even if we were up by five goals. And they just stayed the course. They stuck together. As I always tell them, what better way to honor your seniors than to come out playing all out, leaving it all on the field. Coming away with the victory is the cherry on top.”
NOTES
- Sophomores Payton Sfreddo and Gabby LaVerghetta both scored hat tricks. Along with Fiona Allen’s six goals, the second years accounted for 12 of UVA’s 17 goals
- This is the Cavaliers’ second top-10 win of the year after topping then No. 5 Notre Dame 9-7 in February
- BC held a 31-27 edge in shots
- Virginia held a 19-14 edge in draws
- Both teams were perfect in clears
- BC’s Shea Dolce made three saves. Virginia’s Elyse Finnelle made six
- The game was Virginia's Senior Day game with 10 Cavaliers being recognized before the game: Finley Barger, Wylly Willmott, Olivia Bruno, Mel Josephson, Nicole Cruthirds, Katie Campel, Elyse Finnelle, Lara Kology, Lily Spyredes and Devon Gogerty
- Virginia heads into the final game of the regular season in a four-way tie for fifth place in the ACC standings, with Notre Dame, Duke and BC all holding identical 5-4 records
UP NEXT
- Virginia closes out the regular season on Thursday, April 16, at Virginia Tech in the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash game. First draw is set for 6 p.m.