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Lacrosse

Lacrosse program shows growth in 2022 season

BLACKSBURG – In the first season under Head Coach Kristen Skiera, the Virginia Tech lacrosse program recorded a 9-9 overall record in a season that included the program's first ever win over JMU, a thrilling win over Notre Dame and a five-game unbeaten stretch in the middle of the season.
 
The season began with a loss to a ranked Jacksonville squad before the Hokies took on JMU for the 19th time in program history. Tech scored the final three goals of the contest, with freshman Olivia Vergano's goal at 2:02 serving as the game winner as the Hokies defeated the Dukes for the first time in program history.
 
In March, the program won five consecutive games, including a three-overtime thriller at Pitt and a comeback effort against a ranked Notre Dame team to move the Hokies to 2-1 in ACC play.
 
Tech struggled in ACC play losing each of the last five contests, all against ranked conference foes who made the NCAA Tournament field including overall No. 1 seed UNC and third-seeded Boston College.
 
For the first time since at least 2008, the Hokies' offense featured three athletes who scored 50 or more points during the season.
 
Season highlights and best performances:

  • Sarah Lubnow scored the 100th goal of her career on April 7th against Duke. She finished her career with 111, ranking just outside the top 10 in program history.
  • Lubnow set the program's all-time mark in terms of assists with a feed at UNC in March. She owns 73 for her career and concludes her five seasons with 184 points, the fifth-most in program history.
  • Lubnow scored 46 goals and 63 points in 2022, both career highs. She was named to the ACC's Second Team and to US Lacrosse Magazine's Honorable All-America list.
  • Freshman Olivia Vergano was second on the squad with 40 goals and earned a place on the ACC's All-Freshman Team. She scored two game-winning goals, had multiple goals in 12 contests and recorded a hat trick seven times. Her 73 draw controls are the eighth-most in VT history for a single season. Vergano earned IWLCA South Region Second Team honors. 
  • Whitney Liebler led the Hokies with 29 assists and scored 53 total points, the second-most on the squad. Her 29 assists tie Lubnow's 2021 season for third-most in a single season in program history.
  • The third Hokie to register 50 total points was sophomore midfielder Sophie Student (38 goals, 12 assists). She tallied six hat tricks on the season and her 80 draw controls are the sixth-most in a single season in VT history.
  • Four starting defenders; Jordan Tilley, Mary Griffin, Lizzie Lohrer and Sydney Golini all set career highs in caused turnovers during the 2022 season.