February 8, 2013
Tech set for opener at No. 7 Duke
Hokies begin the season with the first of four road games
12F
Virginia Tech (0-1) 369
(7) Duke (1-0) 10717
  • Koskinen Stadium - 417

Game Notes PDF

Series Info

All Time vs. Duke: 0-15 • At VT: 0-6 • At Duke: 0-8 • Neutral: 0-1

Notes: Duke has ranked in the top 5 nationally in the past five meetings ... Tech has fallen 18-8 in the last two match ups, at home in 2012 and in Durham in 2011 ... The two teams have only met once in the ACC Tournament (2008).

Scouting Duke

The Blue Devils enter the season as the No. 7 team in the nation according to the IWLCA poll, and the No. 6 team in the deBeer Media Poll. Duke went 12-7 last year, finishing the season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It returns sophomore Kerrin Maurer, who led the team with 49 points (25g, 24 a), as well as leading scorer, sophomore Taylor Timble, who finished the year with 28 goals.

Scouting Virginia Tech

The Hokies are coming off yet another successful season as they made it back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in program history in 2012, finishing the year with a 10-7 record, 1-4 in the ACC. The squad also set a new all-time best when it went 7-2 at home last year. The season finish also marked the first time in over 10 years that the Hokies have made it back-to-back winning seasons.

Although Tech remains great young talent and senior leadership, the Hokies lost six starters in the offseason, including leading scorer Jessica Nonn. Fellow middie Morgan Widlake, as well as offensive threat Ryan Rotanz and defender Julie Wolfinger were among the key players lost due to graduation. Rotanz, though, remains with the squad as a volunteer assistant coach.

Returning for the Hokies are sophomore Megan Will, who was second on the team in scoring last year with 30 goals, as well as classmate Meg Bartley, who poses a great threat for Tech on the draw. Seniors Brooke Martin, Christina Patten and Libby Rosebro return great on-field experience and production for the Hokies on both sides of the field. Tech also welcomes back Julia Heaps, who missed the majority of last season due to injury.

Veteran Experience

Tech returns a wealth of experience this season as it welcomes back 12 seniors. As a class, these veterans have been an integral part of the transition the program has recently made. They have helped lead their squad to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in over 10 years. They have also assisted in taking down ranked conference opponents in back-to-back years, topping then-No. 16 Boston College in 2011 and then-No. 7 Virginia in 2012.

Progressing Program

The Virginia Tech lacrosse team has seen a steady momentum shift over the past few seasons. Since former assistant Megan Burker took over as head coach the Hokies have put together back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in program history, while also knocking off ranked conference opponenets in back-to-back years. Tech earned its best ACC finish in 2011 when a tiebreak awarded the Hokies the three-seed in the annual ACC Tournament. Tech also set a new program best in 2012 when it finished the year with a 7-2 record at Thompson Field.

For updates on Virginia Tech lacrosse, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Lax).

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