USC Lacrosse Falls to Virginia in NCAA First-Round Battle

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The USC lacrosse team (13-5) was eliminated from the postseason in a 13-11 loss to Virginia (10-9) in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Dorrance Field on Friday, May 13.
 
KEY PLAYERS

• Redshirt Fr. attacker Isabelle Vitale scored a team-high four goals for her seventh-career hat trick.
• Jr. attacker Ella Heaney scored two goals.
• So. attacker Claudia Shevitz scored one goal and picked up three draw controls.
• Fr. midfielder Catherine Lord corralled eight draw controls.
• Gr. midfielder Kelsey Huff scored two goals, caused two turnovers, and picked up two ground balls.
• Gr. defender Lizzy Wagner picked up two ground balls and grabbed one draw control.
• Jr. goalie Kait Devir had seven saves and two ground balls.
• For Virginia, Rachel Clark scored four goals and had an assist. Ashlyn McGovern and Kate Miller had three goals apiece. Morgan Schwab dished out seven assists. Ashley Vernon had eight saves in goal and two ground balls.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Virginia outshot USC, 30-25. The Trojans won the center circle by a narrow 14-13 edge, but ground balls were dead even at 11-all. USC had 31 fouls to Virginia's 11, but the teams were 0-5 on free position shots combined.
• Vitale opened the scoring at 12:31 in the first quarter, but UVa ripped through a 7-0 run with five assists from Schwab. USC finally stopped the drought at 12:18 in the second frame and sparked a 6-0 run of its own. The Trojans scored all six goals unassisted and held UVa scoreless for almost 20 minutes until the Cavs ahead, 8-7, midway through the third quarter.
• Vitale's third goal of the game pulled the Trojans within one at 9-8, but Virginia made it a three-goal game, 11-8, with 10:31 to play, and again at 12-9 with 8:12 to go. Huff's goal with under four to play trimmed the lead to two goals at 12-10, but Virginia scored one more at 2:28 to lead, 13-10. Vitale's goal made the final margin, 13-11. 

GAME NOTES

• USC and Virginia met for the first time.
• The Trojans fall to 4-5 all-time in NCAA tournament games and last won a tourney game in 2017.
• The Women of Troy fell to 84-25 in games played when they are ranked. USC's record against ranked opponents goes to 27-37 in 64 games all-time.
• USC falls to 1-2 all-time in the state of North Carolina.

For more information on the USC women's lacrosse team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @USCTrojansLax.