LEXINGTON, Va. — The second-seeded Washington and Lee University field hockey team opens postseason play Thursday, Nov. 5, when the Generals host third-seeded Randolph-Macon College at 6 p.m. at W&L Turf Field in the semifinals of the 2026 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament.
Washington and Lee (12-4, 7-1 ODAC) earned a first-round bye after finishing second in the conference standings, while Randolph-Macon (12-6, 6-2) advanced with a 2-0 quarterfinal victory over sixth-seeded Bridgewater on Tuesday. The Generals will look to build on their regular-season success against the Yellow Jackets after earning a 4-0 road victory on Oct. 17.
On the opposite side of the bracket, top-seeded Lynchburg (13-5, 8-0) will host fourth-seeded Shenandoah (13-4, 5-3), which defeated fifth-seeded Roanoke, 2-0, in Tuesday's quarterfinals. The semifinal winners will meet Saturday, Nov. 7, at the home of the highest remaining seed, with the ODAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championship at stake.
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: W&L Turf Field | Lexington, Va.
Watch Live | Live Stats | Tickets | Series History
GENERALS TO WATCH on OFFENSE
Washington and Lee boasts a balanced offensive attack led by three nine-goal scorers in Madeline Lancione, Margaret Scheurer and senior Zoe Dolfis, who have combined for half of the Generals' 54 goals this season.
Lancione leads W&L with 25 points on nine goals and seven assists, including five game-winning tallies. Scheurer follows with 24 points and a team-high 74 shots, while Dolfis has contributed 21 points and converted 24.3% of her attempts.
Britty Page (5 goals), Anna Treese (4), Libby Bowers (3) and Margaret Cover (3) provide additional scoring depth. Four different Generals found the cage in the regular-season victory over Randolph-Macon, with Lancione assisting on two goals.
SCOUTING RANDOLPH-MACON OFFENSE
Randolph-Macon enters the semifinals riding a four-game shutout streak after defeating Bridgewater, 2-0, in Tuesday's quarterfinal. The Yellow Jackets have scored 47 goals this season, led by Janne Roelink's nine goals and 21 points.
Olivia Greene ranks second with seven goals and 17 points, while Kylee Gorham has added six goals and a team-high 63 shots. Breea Dresler and Natalie Moul have each contributed four goals and three assists, with Caitlin Porter adding four goals.
Greene and Dresler supplied the fourth-quarter goals against Bridgewater as Randolph-Macon controlled the contest with a 19-3 advantage in shots and a 9-0 edge in penalty corners.
BETWEEN THE CAGES
Thursday's semifinal pits two of the ODAC's stingiest defensive units against one another, with Washington and Lee allowing 0.94 goals per game compared with Randolph-Macon's 1.11.
First-year goalkeeper Helenka Chodakiewicz anchors the Generals with a 0.86 goals-against average, 42 saves and a .764 save percentage. W&L has recorded nine team shutouts while limiting opponents to 7.4 shots per game. The Generals defensive unit has had a core four nearly all season long led by co-captain Elaina Bellone, Charlotte Dreany, and first-years Ellen Buckwalter and Morgan Craig.
Randolph-Macon counters with Valentina Ambrogi-Torres, who has registered 64 saves, a 1.28 goals-against average and a .762 save percentage. The Yellow Jackets have posted seven team shutouts. Despite nearly identical starting goalkeeper save percentages, W&L has allowed fewer goals and shots per contest. The Generals limited Randolph-Macon to five shots and two shots on goal in their 4-0 regular-season victory, well below the Yellow Jackets' season averages of 19.7 shots and 10.9 shots on goal per game.
SERIES HISTORY
- Washington and Lee leads the all-time series, 21-10, dating to 2001.
- The Generals have won eight consecutive meetings and 10 of the last 11 against the Yellow Jackets.
- W&L has outscored Randolph-Macon 36-6 during its current eight-game winning streak, including shutouts in the last three meetings.
- The Generals hold a 13-3 advantage in games played in Lexington.
- Four different Generals scored in this season's 4-0 victory in Ashland, with W&L holding an 18-5 advantage in shots and an 8-2 edge in penalty corners.
BY THE NUMBERS
| Category |
W&L |
Randolph-Macon |
| Overall Record |
12-4 |
12-6 |
| Goals Per Game |
3.38 |
2.61 |
| Goals Allowed Per Game |
0.94 |
1.11 |
| Shots Per Game |
21.4 |
19.7 |
| Shots Allowed Per Game |
7.4 |
9.1 |
| Penalty Corners Per Game |
8.3 |
8.0 |
| Team Save Percentage |
.750 |
.770 |
| Team Shutouts |
9 |
7 |
| Leading Scorer |
Lancione (25 pts.) |
Roelink (21 pts.) |
| Starting Goalkeeper GAA |
Chodakiewicz (0.86) |
Ambrogi-Torres (1.28) |
ODAC TOURNAMENT NOTES
- No. 1 Lynchburg (13-5, 8-0 ODAC): The Hornets earned the top seed for the second consecutive season after completing their first unbeaten conference campaign since 2023. Lynchburg defeated both W&L and Shenandoah by 3-2 scores during the final week of the regular season.
- No. 2 Washington and Lee (12-4, 7-1): The Generals earned a first-round bye for the second straight season after finishing as the conference runner-up.
- No. 3 Randolph-Macon (12-6, 6-2): The Yellow Jackets advanced to their second consecutive semifinal with Tuesday's 2-0 victory over Bridgewater.
- No. 4 Shenandoah (13-4, 5-3): The Hornets defeated Roanoke, 2-0, to advance to the semifinals for the 14th consecutive season since joining the ODAC in 2012.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Semifinals — Thursday, Nov. 5
- No. 3 Randolph-Macon at No. 2 Washington and Lee — Lexington, Va.
- No. 4 Shenandoah at No. 1 Lynchburg — Lynchburg, Va.
Championship — Saturday, Nov. 7
UP NEXT
The winner of Thursday's semifinal will advance to the ODAC championship game Saturday, Nov. 7, against the winner of the Lynchburg-Shenandoah matchup. The championship will be hosted by the highest remaining seed, with the winner earning the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.
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.
