March 6, 2015
Tech unable to outlast No. 5 Blue Devils, 15-10
Will, Bartley combine for seven goals
12F
Virginia Tech (4-4 (0-1 ACC)) 6410
(5) Duke (7-0 (2-0 ACC)) 6915
  • Koskinen Stadium - 208

DURHAM, N.C. – The Virginia Tech lacrosse team kept things close for the majority of the game, but were unable to outlast the No. 5 Duke Blue Devils, falling 15-10 at Koskinen Stadium. Megan Will led the Hokies with four goals, while Meg Bartley added three for Tech. Duke was led by Kyra Harney’s hat trick.

The Blue Devils (7-0, 2-0 ACC) seemed to control the momentum as they opened the game with three straight goals, but Tech (4-4, 0-1 ACC) was unfazed by the early difference. Bartley kicked off a 5-1 run for the Hokies when she picked up the ground ball after a shot by Will was blocked and put it in the cage. Meghan Macera kept the momentum in Tech’s favor when she scored in transition after Maddy Hess broke up the Duke attack and sent the ball up the field for the score.

Will put away her first of the day on a free position shot and Bartley struck twice more in the run to give Tech its first lead of the day at 5-4. Duke’s Maddie Crutchfield finally ended her team’s drought with 9:24 left to play in the first half.

The two teams eventually hit the halftime break locked at six-all after a late free potion goal by Jessi Thon. Things were very evenly matched in the opening 30 minutes of play as Duke took the slight shooting edge,12-10, and the draws advantage, 7-6.

The Hokies carried the energy into the second half as Will got things going when Gracee Hendrix sent a pass over the cage that drew off Will’s defender, leaving her uncovered for the open goal and the lead.

Duke scored three straight to regain its lead, but Tech kept it within a goal until Duke’s Erin Tenneson started what would be a four-goal scoring stint for the Blue Devils. Will finally broke up the run with her final goal of the day with 4:18 on the clock, but Duke was still up by four at that point.

Meagh Graham led a strong defensive effort by the Hokies, playing an aggressive game in cage, coming out on multiple occasions to break up plays. She finished the game with six saves. Kelsey Duryea picked up the win for the Blue Devils and finished with five saves.

Tech will hit the road for Spring Break, but head north to Michigan for a 7 p.m. game on Wednesday, March 11 in the first of two games that week.

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