LEXINGTON, Va. – The ninth-ranked Washington and Lee women's lacrosse team captured its 25th Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship and 15th consecutive crown with a 14-6 win over second-seeded Shenandoah on Sunday afternoon at Watt Field. The victory came in front of a packed Alumni Weekend crowd as the top-seeded Generals (16-4) capped another dominant conference campaign.
This marked the 29th ODAC title game appearance for W&L and the first time the Generals and Hornets had met for the championship since 2013. Shenandoah (13-7) was appearing in just its second-ever title game and first since falling to W&L in that 2013 matchup.
Game Summary
Shenandoah opened the scoring less than three minutes into the contest, but Washington and Lee responded with four unanswered goals, including a free-position finish from
Grace Kim, to take a 4-1 lead after the first quarter.
The Hornets battled back with back-to-back goals late in the second to cut the W&L lead to 6-4 at halftime. However, the Generals locked in defensively and dominated the second half, outscoring Shenandoah 8-2 over the final 30 minutes.
W&L used a 4-1 third-quarter surge, sparked by
Lara Baki's third goal, to push the lead to 10-5. The Generals then sealed the title with another 4-1 burst in the fourth, including a player-up goal from
Sophie Edwards and
Claire Horner, with Horner's final strike finding the back of the net with 40 seconds remaining.
Individual Performance
- Lara Baki led all scorers with five goals, including two in the pivotal third quarter and a free-position score in the first.
- Emma Marsh tallied two goals, both in the third quarter, and added four draw controls.
- Hannah Van Son also scored twice.
- Claire Horner notched her two goals in the fourth stanza.
- Cat Caples controlled a team-high six draw controls and caused two turnovers with three ground balls.
- Libby Ford and Caples combined for six ground balls and three caused turnovers to lead the defensive effort.
- Foley added a pair of caused turnovers on defense while Baki and Van Son combined for four caused turnovers on the ride.
- Iman Haddad made six saves, including four in the final quarter to preserve the lead.
By The Numbers
- Washington and Lee outshot Shenandoah 36-19, with a 16-10 advantage in shots on goal.
- W&L dominated draw controls 17-7, led by Marsh and Caples.
- The Generals were perfect on clears, going 13-for-13, while Shenandoah went 13-for-17.
- W&L collected 17 ground balls compared to Shenandoah's 12.
- The Hornets committed 13 turnovers, while W&L had 10.
- Washington and Lee was 5-of-10 on free-position shots, while Shenandoah converted just 2-of-3.
- The Generals have claimed every ODAC trophy since the 2010 season, matching up with Hornets twice during the span.
W&L Leaders
- Lara Baki led the team with five goals, her highest scoring output of the season.
- Emma Marsh recorded two goals and added four draw controls.
- Claire Horner added two goals in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
- Cat Caples led all players with six draw controls and caused two turnovers with three ground balls.
- Libby Ford and Caroline Foley each picked up three ground balls to anchor the defense.
Shenandoah Leaders
- Alex Ripkin led the Hornets with three goals, including the game's opening and final goals.
- Ainsley Buckner scored twice, both in the second quarter.
- Ayla Jantz added one goal and led the team with four shots.
- Julianna Fohner caused two turnovers and picked up four ground balls.
- Goalkeeper Maddie Gaboury finished with nine saves.
Up Next
Washington and Lee will now await the results of the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Selection Show, scheduled for Monday at 10:30 a.m., to learn its postseason opponent and destination. Fans can check in with the selection show
here.
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.
