LEXINGTON, Va. — The No. 19 Washington and Lee University field hockey team is headed back to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship game for the first time since 2022 after defeating third-seeded Randolph-Macon College, 3-1, in Thursday evening's semifinal at W&L Turf Field.
The second-seeded Generals (13-4) overcame an early one-goal deficit with three unanswered second-quarter goals to secure their spot in the conference final. Britty Page, Margaret Scheurer and Madeline Lancione each found the back of the cage as W&L earned an opportunity to compete for its fifth ODAC championship.
Washington and Lee will travel to Lynchburg to face the top-seeded University of Lynchburg (14-5), which advanced with a 3-2 semifinal victory over fourth-seeded Shenandoah University on Thursday. The 1 p.m. championship will mark a rematch of the 2022 ODAC title game, when the Generals defeated the Hornets, 1-0, in overtime to claim their second consecutive conference crown.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Randolph-Macon struck first at 10:37 when Caitlin Porter connected with McKayla Clark following a penalty corner. Clark's goal gave the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 advantage, while Washington and Lee was held without a shot during the opening 15 minutes.
- The Generals found their offensive rhythm early in the second quarter, forcing saves from Randolph-Macon goalkeeper Valentina Ambrogi-Torres on attempts by Margaret Scheurer at 16:08 and Zoe Dolfis at 17:15.
- W&L broke through at 20:56 when Page capitalized on a rebound following a save on Dolfis' attempt, evening the contest at 1-1.
- Washington and Lee moved ahead at 23:54 following a penalty corner. A give and go back to the inserter, Page set up Scheurer, who converted the opportunity to give the Generals their first lead of the evening at 2-1.
- Just 22 seconds later, the Generals struck again. After Ambrogi-Torres turned away another attempt from Scheurer, Dolfis connected with Lancione, who finished the opportunity at 24:16 to extend W&L's advantage to 3-1.
- The Generals carried their two-goal cushion into halftime after outshooting Randolph-Macon 7-1 in the second quarter.
- Randolph-Macon tested W&L goalkeeper Helenka Chodakiewicz at 31:42, but the first-year goalkeeper stopped Janne Roelink's attempt to preserve the lead.
- Washington and Lee continued to apply pressure throughout the third quarter, recording four shots and earning a penalty corner. Ambrogi-Torres made three saves during the period to keep the Yellow Jackets within two.
- The Generals added two shots and a penalty corner in the final quarter while holding Randolph-Macon without an attempt, securing the 3-1 victory and their return to the ODAC championship game.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Britty Page led the Generals with three points on a goal and an assist. She recorded three shots, including two on goal, and set up Scheurer's game-winning tally.
- Margaret Scheurer scored the game-winner and paced all players with six shots, placing all six on cage.
- Madeline Lancione added an insurance goal in the second quarter, finishing with two shots and one on target.
- Zoe Dolfis supplied an assist on Lancione's goal and placed both of her shots on cage.
- Helenka Chodakiewicz played all 60 minutes in goal, making one save to improve to 13-4 on the season.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 13-3 — Washington and Lee's advantage in total shots.
- 11-2 — The Generals' edge in shots on goal.
- 4-3 — W&L's advantage in penalty corners.
- 3 — Unanswered second-quarter goals by the Generals, all scored within a span of 3:20.
- 22 — Seconds separating Scheurer's go-ahead goal and Lancione's insurance tally.
- 12-0 — Washington and Lee's advantage in shots over the final three quarters.
- 8 — Saves recorded by Randolph-Macon goalkeeper Valentina Ambrogi-Torres.
RANDOLPH-MACON LEADERS
- McKayla Clark scored the Yellow Jackets' lone goal on her only shot of the contest.
- Caitlin Porter supplied the assist on Clark's first-quarter tally.
- Janne Roelink recorded two shots, including one on goal.
- Valentina Ambrogi-Torres made eight saves across 60 minutes in cage as Randolph-Macon concluded its season with a 12-7 record.
A REMATCH FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING
Washington and Lee and Lynchburg will meet for the ODAC championship for the first time since Nov. 5, 2022, when the top-seeded Generals defeated the second-seeded Hornets, 1-0, in overtime to capture their second consecutive conference title and fourth overall.
After 60 scoreless minutes, Peyton Tysinger '23 delivered the championship-winning goal just 67 seconds into overtime. Kailey Fitzgerald '23 initiated the scoring sequence with a shot that Lynchburg goalkeeper Kayla Brady turned away. Freddie Tobeason '23 redirected the rebound toward Tysinger, who finished the opportunity with 8:53 remaining on the overtime clock.
The Generals held a 15-6 advantage in shots and earned three of the contest's four penalty corners. Abby Long '24 made two saves to preserve the shutout, while Brady recorded 10 stops for Lynchburg.
The victory secured W&L's fourth ODAC championship and the conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Saturday's meeting presents the Generals with an opportunity to return to the top of the conference for the first time since that championship run.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Top-seeded Lynchburg enters the championship with a 14-5 overall record after completing an unbeaten 8-0 ODAC regular season. The Hornets advanced Thursday with a 3-2 comeback victory over Shenandoah, overcoming a 2-1 halftime deficit behind third-quarter goals from Allie Freeman and Grace Peterson.
Lynchburg features one of the conference's most productive offensive attacks, averaging 3.74 goals and 20.8 shots per contest. The Hornets have scored 71 goals this season while allowing 23, and have earned 195 penalty corners.
Key Players to Watch
- Grace Peterson leads Lynchburg with 40 points on 16 goals and eight assists. She has recorded 52 shots, including 37 on goal, and scored the game-winner in Thursday's semifinal against Shenandoah.
- Sofia Boon ranks second on the team with 31 points on 14 goals and three assists. She has converted 14 of her 35 shots into goals for a .400 shooting percentage.
- Khanyisile Mzizi has totaled 26 points on eight goals and a team-leading 10 assists. She also leads the Hornets with 39 shots on goal and scored the overtime winner against W&L during the regular season.
- Taylor Secrist has registered seven goals and seven assists for 21 points. She leads Lynchburg with 85 shots and scored twice in the Hornets' 3-2 overtime victory over the Generals on Oct. 28.
- Allie Freeman has contributed two goals and 10 assists for 14 points. She scored the tying goal against Shenandoah in Thursday's semifinal.
- Shay Schoones anchors the Hornets' defense with a 13-5 record in goal, a 1.26 goals-against average and a .838 save percentage. She has made 114 saves and recorded seven shutouts this season.
REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
The two teams met Oct. 28 in Lynchburg, where the Hornets claimed a 3-2 overtime victory in a matchup of conference unbeatens.
Lancione gave W&L a 1-0 lead in the third quarter before Taylor Secrist answered for Lynchburg. Secrist added her second goal with 1:56 remaining in regulation, but senior Zoe Dolfis responded with just 20 seconds on the clock to force overtime.
Mzizi scored the golden goal at 67:11 to secure the victory for the Hornets, who went on to finish unbeaten in ODAC regular-season competition.
The Generals will look to reverse that result in the championship rematch, with the conference title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament at stake.
UP NEXT
Washington and Lee will travel to Shellenberger Field in Lynchburg, Va., to face top-seeded Lynchburg in the ODAC Championship game at 1 p.m.. The winner will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament. The Generals will be seeking their fifth conference championship and first since 2022.
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.
