The No. 15 Virginia women’s lacrosse team lost a heartbreaker at Klockner Stadium on Friday, as it fell just short of No. 8 North Carolina in overtime. The Hoos dropped the ACC opener 10-9 as they lost for the first time this season.
This was the 48th meeting between the two teams with the Heels now leading the series 34-13, but this marked UVA’s closest chance at a win since a 13-12 loss in 2019. The last time the Hoos defeated UNC was May 17, 2014, coincidentally by a 10-9 score.
Despite the disappointing outcome, UVA coach Sonia LaMonica had a positive outlook and was proud of her team’s effort and fight.
“We had so much fight. That is not going away. Team played really tough,” LaMonica said. “We had a great defensive effort, holding a team like UNC to 10 points is a really good day at the office. I think offensively we needed to be a little more dynamic, we needed to break down our dodges a little bit better, all good stuff to continue to work on.”
UNC got off to a quick start, scoring a goal within the first minute and a half of play. However, Virginia answered with a goal from Mackenzie Hoeg (2 goals). That set the stage for a lot of back-and-forth play throughout the first quarter that ended up with a 2-1 UNC lead. The teams combined for 8 turnovers as both played a defense-oriented game, where the goalkeepers made crucial saves in order to keep their side in the game. UVA’s Mel Josephson finished with 4 saves, while Alecia Nicholas had 6 for Carolina.
Early in the second quarter, the Hoos found themselves in a 3-goal deficit. Although they lost some momentum, they definitely did not lose their fight. After going down 4-1, senior Morgan Schwab put the Hoos back on the board with a goal mid-way through the period. UNC quickly responded, but with the defense not giving the Heels an inch, Virginia was able to make key stops. Maggie Bostain had a big night defensively for UVA with a career-high 4 caused turnovers.
The Hoos went into halftime in a 1-goal deficit with a 6-5 score.
The third quarter got off to a slow start, where both teams were scoreless for nearly the first 10 minutes. UNC broke the scoring lull at the 5:59 mark for another 2-goal lead. However, the Hoos quickly responded with goals from Madison Alaimo and Schwab to set the scene for an incredible fourth quarter, as the teams were now tied 7-7.
The fourth quarter did not disappoint. Carolina got another 2-goal lead within the first 10 minutes, but Virginia again bounced back with a goal from Jenna Dinardo with just 5:32 left in regulation. With many defensive stops and a few turnovers, UVA was able to regain possession with less than a minute. Still down a goal, the Hoos gave the ball to Schwab and she had an impressive goal while falling to the ground with 26 seconds left. That tied the game at 9-9 and ended regulation. Schwab finished with 3 goals and 2 assists. She is now tied for third in career assists in program history with 108.
Going into overtime, the Hoos landed in a tough spot. They lost the draw and UNC quickly scored to end the drama and the Cavaliers’ hopes of a victory.
Virginia tried not to let the disappointing finish dampen the fight it had shown through multiple comebacks. The Hoos played an incredibly gritty game and they said their fight is something that is not going away. Schwab said she knows there is a bright future for this team.
“We just didn’t go away as a team. We kept going at them. We didn’t give them an inch,” Schwab said. “I think we got into a tough spot going into overtime, next time we want to finish it in the regular 60 minutes, and get that last draw. We worked our butts off as a team, and we showed a lot today and we just need to carry that same vibe and attitude for the rest of the season.”
LaMonica agreed that the team took a big step forward with how it played despite the loss.
“I told them the narrative out there of who we are has changed in a really great way,” LaMonica said. “The grit and toughness and the way they played together, and that’s exactly what we intended to [do] and to bring. I know if we continue on that path, the future is really bright. I don’t mean in years from now, I mean right now. I just told them how proud I was of that effort. We’re not happy about losing today. We’re not satisfied, but UNC just made us better.”
Virginia won’t have to wait long to test that theory as the Hoos continue to redefine themselves as a team. The Hoos face a quick turnaround as they travel to Maryland for a matchup against Cornell this Sunday at noon.
