If there were any doubts about the future of No. 24 Virginia women’s lacrosse, they were answered forcefully at Klöckner Stadium Saturday. In a Senior Day matchup that felt more like a passing of the torch than a regular season game, the Cavaliers (7-8, 5-4, ACC) rode a wave of sophomore dominance to defeat No. 10 Boston College. The decisive 17-14 victory over the Eagles (8-6, 5-4, ACC) proved that while they may still be young, Virginia’s sophomores are ready for the spotlight.
The Cavaliers were eager to find their groove for a conference win to shake off an emotional loss to North Carolina last weekend. After a pre-game celebration of their 10 graduating players, including graduate goalkeeper Elyse Finnelle — who played all 60 minutes of Saturday’s game — Virginia battled down to the wire to claim the victory.
The afternoon was led by the Class of 2028 — though Boston College’s junior attacker Marissa White kicked off the scoring just under two minutes into the first quarter, the response from the Cavaliers’ young players was immediate.
Virginia’s sophomore attacker Fiona Allen leveled the game less than three minutes later, setting the stage for a career performance. Soon after, sophomore midfielder Payton Sfreddo took control, snaking around an Eagle defender for a highlight-reel goal before adding another just 45 seconds later. By the end of the first quarter, Allen had already secured her hat trick.
The second-year streak continued into the second quarter as sophomore attacker Gabby LaVerghetta notched her first goal. At halftime, Virginia held an 8-6 lead and every single Cavalier goal had been scored by a sophomore, something that made Coach Sonia LaMonica excited for the team’s future.
“It’s awesome to see that second year class really shine, particularly on the offensive end of the field,” LaMonica said. “What a vote of confidence for those guys to make an impact for us in that way. And it’s … a sign [that] the future is bright.”
Leading the charge was Allen, who finished the day with a staggering six goals. Even as a player who is relatively new to the sport — having not played lacrosse her whole life — and her efficiency led Virginia to victory against the Eagles.
The second half saw the juniors join the scoring fray as the intensity peaked — junior attackers Madison Alaimo and Jenna DiNardo both found the back of the net to keep pace with a surging Boston College offense that just refused to go away.
By the time they were halfway through the third quarter, the Eagles had clawed their way back to tie up the game 9-9. As the Cavaliers’ lead evaporated, they started to lean more heavily on their defensive unit.
Senior defender Lara Kology was a strong anchor for Virginia’s backline, which kicked it into high gear and started to gain crucial stops against Boston College. Yet despite the defensive effort, the Eagles remained relentless — with just over five minutes remaining in the match, Boston College narrowed the gap to 14-13, stripping the Cavaliers of the safety net they had worked so hard to build.
The game was now hanging in the air as the Eagles threatened to steal the lead — at this point, Virginia’s composure was put to the ultimate test. In previous weeks the Cavaliers had not been able to utilize these high-leverage moments and therefore ended up falling just short of victory — this time they grabbed it.
With just over three and a half minutes left on the clock, Virginia was awarded a critical free-position attempt. Junior midfielder Kate Galica stepped up and, under immense pressure, did not hesitate as she hammered a decisive shot into the cage — less than half a minute later, Allen ran the ball back to the goal, reclaiming the momentum and giving the Cavaliers a two-goal cushion.
“We’ve had a handful of games this year where we’ve lost by one or two goals,” LaMonica said. “That’s what showed today is we’re getting stronger in that space and able to not panic. We stay composed and poised, because we have been there before.”
While the underclassmen provided hard statistical firepower Saturday, the emotional heart of the game remained with the 10 graduating seniors. For the team, the win against a difficult Boston College opponent was the ultimate graduation gift.
“As a team we’re so close, so this one definitely hit hard,” Galicia said. “We all got pretty emotional in the senior walkout, so we were definitely playing for them today, and I think that showed. We played with a lot of heart.”
LaMonica emphasized that the victory was the perfect way to cap off the final home game of the season.
“What better way to honor your seniors than to come out with playing all out, leaving all on the field, and then coming away with the victory is the cherry on top,” LaMonica said.
After today’s ACC contests, Virginia has officially clinched a spot in the ACC Tournament, which will start April 22 in Charlotte, N.C.
The Cavaliers will end their regular season with the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash on Thursday in Blacksburg, Va. — Virginia leads the Hokies 28-3 in the history of the rivalry. The matchup is set to start at 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ACCNX.
