LEXINGTON, Va. – The Washington and Lee University field hockey team delivered a commanding 7-0 victory over fifth-seeded Virginia Wesleyan in the ODAC quarterfinals on Tuesday night at W&L Turf Field.
The Generals (12-6) showcased an explosive offense, led by senior Sydney Baggett's hat trick, her second of the season, to advance to the ODAC semifinals. W&L outshot the Marlins (12-6) 22-1 and recorded their ninth shutout of the season behind goalkeeper Julia McDonald's one-save performance.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- 17:21 – W&L – Sydney Baggett scored the opening goal, an unassisted reverse to put the Generals ahead 1-0.
- 20:54 – W&L – Baggett struck again off a similar play. A Maddy Duggleby pass found Baggett in the center of the semicircle and another reverse shot expanded the lead to 2-0.
- 24:29 – W&L – Anne Burns Fiveash converted a penalty corner attempt from Margaret Cover insert to make it 3-0.
- 31:22 – W&L – Betty Boatwright added an unassisted goal early in the third quarter. Boatwright's first shot on goal was stopped by the Marlins' keeper but her second attempt found the back of the goal.
- 36:56 – W&L – Margaret Cover scored unassisted, pushing the score to 5-0.
- 40:25 – W&L – After a quick transition down the field, Gracie Kaspar capitalized on a defensive breakdown and found the back of the net for a 6-0 advantage.
- 48:08 – W&L – Baggett completed her hat trick, assisted by Boatwright, sealing the 7-0 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- W&L outshot Virginia Wesleyan 22-1, including a 13-1 edge in shots on goal.
- The Generals earned eight penalty corners, while the Marlins had none.
- Julia McDonald made one save to secure the shutout, while Virginia Wesleyan's goalkeepers combined for six saves.
- The Marlins concluded a historic season for their program by notching the most wins since 2005 when Virginia Wesleyan won 13 contests and made their first postseason appearence since 2016.
UP NEXT
The Generals will face top-seeded Shenandoah, ranked No. 9 in the NFHCA coaches poll, on Thursday night in the ODAC semifinals, marking the second consecutive year the two teams meet at this stage in the tournament. W&L will take on the Hornets at 6 p.m.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
