The No. 7 Virginia women's lacrosse team lost to No. 12 Loyola 15-8 in the season-opener for both teams in Baltimore, Md. Saturday. The Cavaliers struggled to contain Loyola's potent offense for the second consecutive year after losing to the Greyhounds 15-11 in last year's season-opener at home.
Despite the defeat, the Cavaliers still had some bright spots. Freshmen midfielders Liza Blue and Dana Boyle tallied their first career points in their collegiate debuts. Boyle assisted on redshirt junior attack Ainsley Baker's goal that put the Cavaliers ahead 2-1 early during the first half. Blue scored her first goal for the Cavaliers with 7:58 to play in the first half, cutting Virginia's deficit to 6-5. The Cavaliers never got any closer, however, as Loyola scored seven of the next eight goals to secure the win.
Baker, junior attack Charlie Finnigan and junior midfielder Julie Gardner led the Cavaliers with two goals each. Loyola senior attack Grace Gavin, the Big East Preseason Attack Player of the Year, scored three times to extend her goal-scoring streak to 42 games, the second longest current streak in the country. The Cavaliers play their next game Wednesday at Richmond.
-compiled by Ian Rappaport