No. 16 Hokies Slide Past Elon WLAX Phoenix 14-12

ELON, N.C. – After battling back from an early deficit and tied with 11:36 to play Saturday afternoon, March 24, Elon University women’s lacrosse fell just short at Rudd Field in dropping a 14-12 decision to 16th-ranked Virginia Tech.

FINAL RESULTS

THE RUNDOWN
Trailing 11-9, Elon (1-8, 0-0 CAA) tallied twice in a span of 57 seconds to tie the game at 11-all with 11:36 to go. But down the stretch, Virginia Tech (9-3, 2-0 ACC) answered with a 3-0 run to make it a 14-11 advantage with 93 seconds left to seal the win.

The Hokies opened the afternoon on a 4-1 run in the first 12 minutes of action. After the opening stretch, though, Elon settled in and went on a 5-1 run of its own to take a 6-5 lead behind two goals from Abby Godfrey, two from Stephanie Thomson and one from Cami Lynch.

Square at 6-all at the break, Melissa Birdsell gave Elon a 7-6 lead shortly after halftime with her ninth strike of the year. The goal started a run in which the two sides traded tallies until the Hokies went on a 4-1 run to take the 11-9 lead with 13:32 to play.

Through Lynch and Maeve Cowley scored 57 seconds apart to tie the game at 11, Virginia Tech took control down the stretch to claim the win.

HIGHLIGHTS
Godfrey, Lynch, Thomson and Asher all tallied two times to lead the Phoenix attack. Asher also picked up nine draw controls and has now gathered 19 over the course of the last two games, giving her the two highest marks in a contest in program history after collecting 10 last time out at Coastal Carolina. Cowley, Birdsell, Jacie Cooper and Kelsey Dupere all scored once to round out Elon’s offense. Dupere also had two assists in her first game since Feb. 17 at Virginia, finishing with three points. Bridget Lamb had a team-best three caused turnovers and she, Dupere, Shannon Horan, Alexis Zadjura and Kira Oberle all picked up a team-leading two ground balls.

Paige Petty paced Virginia Tech with three goals and two assists for five points. Talyor Caskey also had three goals and an assist for four points. Tristan McGinley netted a pair of goals and had a team-best four draw controls while Kelly Glatthorn had three draw controls. Elena Ricci caused a team-best three turnovers while Glatthorn and Mary Claire Byrne finished with four ground balls.

NOTES
-Thomson’s pair of goals doubles her career total. She had scored twice – once in 2015 and once in 2016 – before tallying twice Saturday against the Hokies.
-Elon finished with a significant advantage in the draw circle, winning 18 of 28 draw controls. It’s the second game in a row Elon has won the draw control battle after not doing so in any of its first seven outings.
-Virginia Tech goalie Meagh Graham made seven saves in the cage to help the Hokies to the win.

UP NEXT
Elon will start its six-game CAA slate on Friday, April 6, with a 5 p.m. contest at Hofstra in Hempstead, N.Y. The Phoenix is looking to make its third-straight CAA Tournament appearance in May, which will be held in Harrisonburg, Va., from May 4-6.