Hokies Take Win Over Elon Phoenix Women’s Lacrosse

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Elon women’s lacrosse team played its second ACC opponent of the season in a 17-7 loss to Virginia Tech today, Feb. 23, on Thompson Field.

Elon (0-3) finished 11-of-13 in clear attempts, its best percentage of the season, and picked up 13 ground balls. Goalie Rachel Ramirez picked up six of the team’s ground balls and finished the day with 16 saves, including 11 in the second period.

The Phoenix took advantage of its free-position opportunities, going 2-for-3, while VT finished 0-for-5.

Five players in maroon and gold tallied points in the game with an impressive four goals by Molly Garrigan. Anna Vitton recorded her third goal of the season and earned one assist. Ally Kozel and Annie Shenk, who leads the team with six goals overall, also joined in the scoring action.

The Hokies (2-1) took control early, scoring five goals, before Garrigan netted her first career goal at the 15:16 mark to make it a 5-1 game. Garrigan used a free-position shot to score her next goal and keep Elon within four, 6-2, with nine minutes on the clock before VT made it an 8-2 game at the break.

Elon opened the second period with back-to-back goals by Garrigan and Kozel to close the gap to a four-goal differential, 8-4. With the Hokies leading, 10-4, Garrigan scored her fourth goal off a pass from Sloane Kessler, followed by a score by Vitton to make it a 10-6 game with 12:38 left on the clock and forced a VT timeout.

Virginia Tech had a strong next 10 minutes, netting six scores for a 10-goal advantage, 16-6. The Phoenix never gives up and scored its fifth goal of the season in the final two minutes of a game off a free-position shot by Shenk with just over a minute remaining, 16-7, before VT’s Megan Will scored the last goal of the game with only 18 seconds left.

Overall, the Hokies outshot the Phoenix, 43-15, and took a 22-5 advantage at the draw. VT’s Meagh Graham got the win after playing the first period with three saves on six Elon shots, while Hannah Sieger was in goal for the Hokies for the second frame. Wills and Julia Heapes led the VT scoring attack with four goals each.

Elon will play its first home game in program history in its next outing on Saturday, March 1. The Phoenix hosts St. Francis (Pa.) in Rhodes Stadium at 1 p.m.