In their first game of the 2014 season, No. 8 Virginia women’s lacrosse team traveled to Atlanta, Ga. to face No. 4 Northwestern on a neutral field. The Cavaliers fell just short of avenging last season’s loss to the Wildcats, as Northwestern scored the go-ahead goal with 16.7 seconds remaining and held on for a thrilling 13-12 win.
In the game’s opening five minutes, Northwestern (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) stormed out to a 3-0 lead. Virginia (0-1, 0-0 ACC) then started a run of its own, scoring five straight goals to grab a 5-3 lead with 18:47 left in the first half.
After several back and forth goals, Virginia led Northwestern, 8-6, going into the half. At the break, junior midfielders Courtney Swan and Morgan Stephens and senior attacker Liza Blue led Virginia with two goals apiece.
Northwestern went on another run to begin the second half, scoring four unanswered to take a 10-8 lead with 21 minutes remaining in the game. Virginia then went on a three-goal run with Blue scoring goals number 10 and 11, her third and fourth of the day.
With 7:46 remaining, the Wildcats tied the game at 12-12. The game remained deadlocked until the final minute, when Northwestern senior midfielder Kate Macdonald capitalized on a free position and scored her third goal of the day. The Wildcats won the ensuing draw and held on for the win.
Virginia outshot Northwestern 36-23 and also picked up seven more ground balls than its opponent. Senior goalkeeper Liz Colgan, however, struggled in her first start as the team’s full-time goalie, recording just seven saves to Northwestern’s 14. Virginia also turned the ball over four more times than the Wildcats and was dominated in draw controls, 18-9.
Two Cavaliers posted hat-tricks — Blue with four goals and Swan with three goals and an assist. Last season’s leading scorer, junior attacker Casey Bocklet, was held without a point.
Virginia’s next contest will be against No. 9 Loyola Saturday at 1 p.m., in what will be the first installment of a five-game home stand stretching into March
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