Temple University Athletics
Virginia Tech Captures Inaugural Bell Atlantic Atlantic 10 Women's Lacrosse Championship
5.2.99 | Women's Lacrosse
PHILADELPHIA (May 2, 1999) -- Virginia Tech's Dawn Will scored the game-winner as the Hokies topped Temple, 8-7, in the first Bell Atlantic Atlantic 10 Women's Lacrosse Championship final Sunday at Temple's Geasey Field.
Tech (11-6) broke open a 3-3 halftime tie with goals by Courtney Hubbard (20:28) and Maeghan O'Doherty (13:09). However, Temple's (8-11) Nicole Ross, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scored two of her game-high five goals in the next 20 seconds to tie the game at 5-5. Tech's Karen Diacont put the Hokies on top 6-5 with 11:55 to go before the Owls' Kelly Ruch knotted the score 6-6 at 11:31.
After strong defensive stands by both teams, Ross put Temple ahead, 7-6, with 5:43 left. Diacont took a Hubbard pass and put the game-tieing score past Temple goalie Iris Alvarado (14 saves) with 1:43 remaining. Tech controlled the next draw control, and Will sliced through Temple's defense to score the game-winner with 1:32 left. Tech goalie Melissa Wagner, who turned away nine shots, ran out the clock as the Hokies claimed the first championship final.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM -- Virginia Tech: Dawn Will, Megan O'Doherty, Sue Cowperthwait, and Erin Curran; Temple: Iris Alvarado, Robin Keevan, Katie Malany and Nicole Ross (Most Outstanding Player); Massachusetts: Laura Korutz and Rebecca Minaker; Duquesne: Katie Harner and Megan Hungate.
LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Score 1 2 F
TU/VT 3/3 4/5 7/8
Shots - Temple 20; Va. Tech. 24; FPSOG - Temple 1-2. Va. Tech. 2-2.
Goals - Scorer/Assist (School)
First half - Ruch (TU) 27:56; O'Doherty/Will (VT) 24:13;
Ross (TU) 14:50; Will (VT) 14:17; Will/Augustyn (VT);
Ross/Cebron (TU) 11:34; Second half - Hubbard (VT) 20:28;
O'Doherty (VT) 13:09; Ross (TU) 12:49; Ross (TU) 12:40;
Diacont (VT) 11:55; Ruch (TU) 11:31; Ross/LaGrossa (TU) 5:43;
Diacont/Hubbard (VT) 1:43; Will (VT) 1:32.
Ground Balls - Temple 32. Va. Tech. 23.
Caused Turnovers - Temple 8. Va. Tech. 2.
Turnovers - Temple 23. Va. Tech. 18.
Draw Controls - Temple 5. Va. Tech. 12.
Fouls - Temple 22. Va. Tech. 9.
Saves - Temple 14 (Alvarado 14). Va. Tech. 9 (Wagner 9).
