WINCHESTER, Va. – The Washington and Lee University field hockey team fell 5-2 to top-seeded and ninth-ranked Shenandoah University in the ODAC semifinals on Thursday night.
The Generals (12-7) kept pace with Shenandoah (17-2) through much of the game before the Hornets ultimately pulled away in the second half thanks to converting on multiple stroke and penalty corner attempts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
4:06 –
Shenandoah – Madison Short opened the scoring off an assist from Camryn DeLeva to put the Hornets up 1-0.
17:33 –
W&L –
Betty Boatwright answered with an unassisted goal to tie the game at 1-1 by converting a penalty corner attempt.
22:53 –
Shenandoah – Mairead McKibbin scored unassisted to give Shenandoah a 2-1 lead.
30:27 –
Shenandoah – Madison Short extended the lead to 3-1 with her second goal.
45:40 –
Shenandoah – Elizabeth Ranberger's unassisted goal pushed the Hornets' advantage to 4-1 to start off the final stanza.
47:56 –
W&L –
Sydney Baggett scored her 13th goal of the season a rever from the center of the scoring circle, narrowing the deficit to 4-2.
58:52 –
Shenandoah – McKibbin scored her second goal of the game to seal Shenandoah's 5-2 victory on an awarded penalty stroke
BY THE NUMBERS
- Shenandoah outshot W&L 24-12, with a 16-9 edge in shots on goal.
- W&L earned six penalty corners, while Shenandoah had 11.
- Julia McDonald was tested early and often including a big stop on a penalty stroke award 1:36 into the game. The junior made nine saves for the Generals.
- A pair of defensive saves were recorded for W&L, one each from Margaret Cover and Charlotte Dreaney.
- Shenandoah's Taylor Swann recorded six saves.
UP NEXT
Shenandoah University and No. 13 University of Lynchburg will battle for the league's trophy on Saturday afternoon in Winchester.
The Generals conclude their season now await the announcement of All-ODAC selections and the ODAC's All-Tournament team announcement following Saturday's championship game.
Washington and Lee and the Generals field hockey team will host the NCAA Division III National Championships later this month on W&L Turf Field. The semifinal games will be played on Friday, November 22 and the title game will be played on Sunday, November 24. Tickets are already on sale at www.GeneralsSports.com/Tickets.
Season Overview and Statistical Highlights
Washington and Lee closed the 2024 season with a 12-7 overall record, marking their fifth consecutive double-digit win season (excluding the shortened 2020-21 spring season). The Generals finished 5-3 in ODAC play, going 7-3 at home, 4-4 on the road, and 1-0 at neutral sites.
Team Highlights
- Goals: W&L scored 52 goals, averaging 2.74 goals per game, while limiting opponents to 27 goals (1.42 per game).
- Shots: The Generals outshot opponents 348-154, with an average of 18.3 shots per game.
- Defensive Stance: W&L's defense held opponents to a 0.175 shot percentage and recorded 153 penalty corners compared to opponents' 94.
- Another highlight of the season was the consistency in the lineup, with eight players starting all 19 games, and all 22 eligible players seeing action throughout the season.
Offensive Leaders
- Sydney Baggett led the offense with 13 goals, 6 assists, and 32 points, including four game-winning goals and a pair of hat tricks.
- Betty Boatwright added 11 goals and 3 assists, achieving a 0.220 shot percentage and four game-winners.
- Margaret Cover contributed 8 goals and 4 assists, scoring twice in game-winning situations.
Defensive Highlights
- Alongside the strong back line, Junior Julia McDonald started and played all 19 games, tallying 1,173 minutes in the goal.
- McDonald and the Blue and White's defense conclude the year with a 1.33 goals-against average and seven shutouts on the season.
- McDonald made 61 saves with a 0.701 save percentage in her first year as the starting goalkeeper and Charlotte Dreany recorded two defensive saves during her rookie campaign.
The Generals' season showcased a balanced offense, solid defense, and strong goalkeeping, underscoring another competitive season for the program's history book.
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.
