Hoeg Leads No. 10 UVA Women's Lacrosse to 15-11 Win at Pitt

With the Cavaliers looking to snap a two-game losing streak, it was junior midfielder Mackenzie Hoeg who stepped up with a career performance to lead the No. 10 Virginia women's lacrosse team to a 15-11 victory at Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon. 

Virginia stormed out of the gates in the first quarter, scoring five of the first six goals of the game and taking a 5-2 lead at the end of the opening period. Mackenzie Hoeg scored three of those five goals as the start of an all-around incredible performance for the junior midfielder. Hoeg finished with a career-high five goals and was all over the field for the Cavaliers, recording one assist, five ground balls, two caused turnovers, and eight draw controls. 

Pitt answered right back with a strong second quarter, rattling off three-consecutive goals and going on a 5-1 run to tie the game. Back-to-back goals from Dylana Williams made it 7-7 at halftime. 

Rachel Clark scored unassisted for her third goal of the game to open the second half, but the Panthers responded with two more goals to take their first lead of the game. With Pitt ahead 9-8 midway through the third quarter, the Cavaliers flipped a switch and seized control for the remainder of the game. Ashlyn McGovern and Abby Manalang both found the back of the net to put UVA back in front 10-9 entering the final period. 

Virginia had a significant possession advantage in the fourth quarter thanks to a 7-1 edge in draw controls. That led to a 10-7 shots and 8-5 shots on goal advantage for the Cavaliers, who ended up scoring five-straight goals from the end of the third quarter until midway through the fourth. Clark scored her fourth goal and Hoeg added her fifth on a goal assisted by Morgan Schwab, who orchestrated the UVA offense with five assists and a goal in the game. Jaime Biskup scored unassisted to cap the run, making it 13-9. 

Pitt's Ava Washington scored to get the Panthers back within three, but Ashlyn McGovern tallied back-to-back goals to give the Cavaliers their largest lead of the game at 15-10. Pitt was held to just one goal for the bulk of the fourth quarter until the final minute, when Molly Carter scored a garbage time goal to make the final score 15-11. 

UVA successfully neutralized the Pitt attack in the fourth quarter due to the possession battle but also thanks to three saves by Abby Jansen. For the second game in a row, Virginia used two goalies in the game as Ashley Vernon got the start and made four saves in the first quarter, but then allowed five goals and made zero saves in the second quarter. Jansen came in for the second half and finished with four goals allowed versus five saves for a .556 save percentage. 

Mackenzie Hoeg led the way for Virginia with her aforementioned career-best five goals, while Rachel Clark notched four goals. Ashlyn McGovern had a hat trick and Morgan Schwab had a goal and five assists. 

Now 7-2 and 3-1 in ACC play, Virginia plays the last of a four-game road stretch at No. 7 JMU on Wednesday at 5pm in Harrisonburg. 

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