CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The Virginia women's lacrosse team tied a season-high with 18 goals but lost in sudden-victory overtime to Duke, dropping a 19-18 decision to the Blue Devils. Eight different Cavaliers (9-2, 2-2 ACC) notched points on the afternoon, with captain Jess Wasilewski and Brittany Kalkstein each scoring four goals while Blair Weymouth, Megan Havrilla, Ashley McCulloch and Kate Breslin each added four points. Kristen Waagbo scored six goals and added two assists for the No. 5 Blue Devils (9-1, 2-1 ACC. McBrearty made 12 saves for the No. 4 Cavaliers, and Kaitlin Duff caused three turnovers and scooped up four ground balls for Virginia in the loss.

Duke won the opening draw but the teams exchanged a couple possessions, thanks in large part to three saves by McBrearty, before a caused turnover by Kalkstein and a ground ball by Wasilewski started a possession that saw McCulloch feed a cutting Megan O'Malley, who scored at 22:50 for the opening goal of the game. The Blue Devils won the draw and scored 16 seconds, a prelude to the back-and-forth nature of what would come in this contest.

Kalkstein again started the scoring possession for the Cavaliers, collecting a ground ball in the UVa defensive arc and starting a fast break that saw Weymouth feed McCulloch on a fast break goal that put Virginia up 2-1. A Jessy Morgan interception led to a asecond quick strike as McCulloch scored again off an assist from Havrilla to give UVa a 3-1 lead. Duff won the draw control and Weymouth drove in from the top, scoring 42 seconds after McCulloch. A Wasilewski draw control led directly to a shooting space foul, and when Kalkstein converted 16 seconds after Weymouth's goal, the Cavaliers had a 5-1 lead.

An Allie Johnson goal three minutes later stopped the run, but Duff caused a turnover and scooped up the ground ball in the midfield on a clear attempt and Virginia was able to settle their offense. A Cavalier drive was broken momentarily with a loose ball in the arc, but O'Malley alertly scooped it up and stuffed it in the cage for a 6-2 lead at 12:13. Duke's Aiyana Newton won the draw and Waagbo scored on a crease roll 44 seconds after O'Malley to keep the Blue Devils close. Duke won the draw but Duff caused the turnover immediately and Virginia worked the ball to Kalkstein, who scored her second goal just 25 seconds after Waago to push the margin back to five at 7-3 as the teams combined for three goals in 69 seconds.

McBrearty made her fourth save of the game and Virginia transitioned the ball upfield where Weymouth drove from the top to score the Cavaliers' eighth goal. Kalkstein won the ensuing draw and Virginia settled the ball, taking a couple minutes off the clock before Breslin dumped the ball inside to Havrilla, who scored at 5:45 for a 9-3 lead. Two goals by Duke's Caroline Cryer in a three minute span, with the first on an 8-meter shot and the second on a drive from the right, pulled the Blue Devils back within four at 9-5 with 1:26 to play in the first half.

Claire Bordley won the draw and the Cavaliers held possession before Breslin worked a weave from the top to score 33 seconds before the break, allowing the Hoos to double up on the Blue Devils, 10-5. Rachel Sanford won the draw for Duke but the Blue Devils were not able to get off a shot and the Cavaliers took the 10-5 lead into the break.

Virginia matched its largest lead of the game when, after Bordley won the draw and the Cavaliers set their offense, Wasilewski stuck back the rebound of a save from Regan Bosch, who had come in to start the second half in place of Duke's Kim Imbesi. The Blue Devils then went on a three-goal blitz in 2:20 as Waagbo, Sanford, and Leigh Jester scored to pull the visitors within three at 11-8. Jester scored on a great individual effort three minutes later to pull within two at 11-9 with 23:48 to play in the half.

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2007-03-31