Virginia Women's Lacrosse Rolls Past Cornell 20-11
After getting held to single-digit goals for the first time this season in a heartbreaking 10-9 overtime loss to North Carolina on Friday night, the Cavaliers more than doubled that scoring output in their next game in a huge bounce back victory less than 48 hours later.
Four different Cavaliers tallied at least a hat trick, UVA scored 14 goals in the first half, and No. 15 Virginia women's lacrosse improved to 4-1 on the season with a 20-11 victory over Cornell on Sunday afternoon at Tierney Field at the USA Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Maryland.
Though the game would eventually end in a UVA blowout, the first quarter was an exciting game of runs with Cornell jumping out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Maggie Pons. Virginia responded with a 4-0 run featuring goals from four different scorers. The Big Red tied things up at 4-4 and then Kiki Shaw found the back of the net to make it 5-4 at the end of the opening period.
The UVA offense simmered in the first quarter, then erupted in the second quarter for nine goals. Katie Carnevale and Madison Alaimo each scored twice early in the second quarter to extend Virginia's lead to 10-5. Even when the Big Red managed to score, the Cavaliers answered with two more goals each time, outscoring Cornell 9-4 in the quarter and taking a 14-8 lead into the halftime break.
The Virginia defense tightened up in the third quarter, limiting Cornell to just three shots and only one goal in the period. Meanwhile, Mackenzie Hoeg scored twice and assisted on another goal to help UVA win the quarter 5-1 and put the game out of reach before the fourth quarter even began, leading 19-9. The Cavaliers put things in cruise control in the fourth and went on to win 20-11.
For perhaps the first time this season, Virginia possessed a distinct possession advantage, winning the draw control battle 18-16 and turning the ball over only nine times as compared to 14 for the Big Red. Katie Galica had eight draw control wins and Maggie Bostain added six. As a result of that edge in possession time, Virginia outshot Cornell 40-22, with 29 of those shots going on goal.
Morgan Schwab had seven points to pace the Cavaliers with one goal and six assists. Katie Carnevale had six points on four goals and two assists and Mackenzie Hoeg and Madison Alaimo had four goals apiece. Kate Miller had three goals and an assist and Jenna Dinardo also had four points on two goals and two assists.
Up next, Virginia will play its first ACC road game of the season as the Cavaliers travel to take on Clemson on Saturday at 1pm.
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