Women's lacrosse knocked out of ACC championships in first round by UNC, 19-6
Virginia Tech midfielder Tristan McGinley (7) drives towards the crease defended by North Carolina midfielders Sammy Jo Tracy (13) and Kelly Devlin (26).
Ben Weidlich / Collegiate Times
In the opening round of the ACC Championships, No. 8 seed Virginia Tech women’s lacrosse lost to No. 1 seed North Carolina 19-6.
The Hokies had a tough opponent, as the Tar Heels were not only the No. 1 seed this tournament but also the No. 3 team in the nation. Carolina hadn't lost since Feb. 27 and is known to score fast.
The action kicked off quickly, as Carolina scored two goals in the opening minute. However, Virginia Tech stayed composed and settled in. Six minutes of tough play transpired before another point for the Tar Heels occurred.
The Hokies first got on the board when they were down 3-0, as sophomore Amanda Uliano scored off the assist of teammate junior Colleen Ward. Uliano’s ninth goal of the season was answered by three more Tar Heel goals in the next three minutes, and the Hokies trailed 6-1.
Jessi Thon, one of the five seniors on the team, showed that the Hokies were not going down without a fight. She scored off another Ward assist, bringing the score to 6-2. With the momentum on the Hokies' side, Tristan McGinley scored within just a minute, but the goal was called off for an offensive foul.
The Tar Heels seized the moment, scoring four more goals in the next four minutes, but Thon and the Hokies kept fighting. Thon fired back for Virginia Tech and put up another point for the Hokies, bringing the score to 10-3.
After two more Tar Heel goals, McGinley got revenge on the goal that was taken away from her earlier in the game and scored two more for the Hokies. Those two were her 24th and 25th goals of the season and left the Tar Heels with a 12-5 lead over the Hokies for the first half.
Carolina dominated the field out of the gates in the second half, extending its lead to 17-5. The Hokies kept fighting, despite the deficit, and senior Meghan Macera scored a goal for the Hokies, her 28th of the season.
“They play with a lot of speed," said Virginia Tech head coach Megan Burker. "We knew we had to bring our best, and I’m proud of the fight our team brought.”
The final four-plus minutes of the game passed, and the Tar Heels added two more goals, making the final score of the game 19-6.
This loss brings an end to a tough season for Virginia Tech, which is finishing 5-13 and 0-8 in conference play. This is the sixth straight game in which the Hokies played a top 25-ranked opponent, and North Carolina was the 10th game against a ranked team for Tech on the season.
With only five seniors, the Hokies should return about 25 players next season, some of whom will be coming off of injuries.
“Because of that youth, we’re really proud of that experience we’ve had, to have those kids back and have another year to gain,” Burker said.