CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 11 University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team fell in a hard fought battle to No. 12 Virginia, 16-13, Saturday afternoon at Klockner Stadium. The thrilling top-12 matchup went in favor of the home team as the Irish moved to 6-3 on the season and 3-2 in conference play.
Jackie Wolak boasted a career-best six goals in the game, including three in the fourth quarter to keep the Irish hopes alive late in the contest. Her eight points on the day is also a career high for the senior.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a big defensive stop to start the game, the Irish marched down the field where MK Doherty would open the scoring with a free position shot with 12:10 to go in the first quarter. UVA answered with a goal of their own and the score was knotted 1-1 nearly five minutes into game play.
Wolak and Doherty each added to the Irish score before the end of the first quarter as the teams faced a 3-3 deadlock after 15 minutes of play. Doherty’s second of the game came in the waning seconds to tie the game back up.
The Cavaliers scored twice in the first few minutes of the second quarter to break away from the Irish, but ND continued to fight, with Lilly Callahan posting three saves in goal partway through the first half.
Wolak scored her second of the game just under halfway through the second quarter to make it a two-goal game again as the Irish trailed 6-4.
Virginia scored five unanswered goals to close the half with the Irish down 11-4.
Kelley Denes opened the scoring in the second half with her seventh of the season.
Kristen Shanahan and Wolak added to the Irish tally in the third quarter as the Irish faced a 12-7 deficit heading into the final quarter against the Cavaliers.
Despite six goals in the fourth frame, including three from Wolak, the Irish comeback came up just short in Charlottesville as they fell to 12th-ranked Virginia, 16-13.
NOTRE DAME STAT OF THE GAME
The team’s leading scorer, Wolak now sits two points shy of 50 on the season following an eight-point game against the Cavaliers. Her six goals and two assists led the team Saturday afternoon. The senior is currently two goals away from 100 career tallies and boasts 25 on the season.
UP NEXT
The Irish return home to face Brown for an early week non-conference matchup Monday with first draw set for 4 p.m.