WASHINGTON, DC – Virginia Tech’s lacrosse team came up just short against George Washington, 9-8, at the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex. Ryan Rotanz and Jessica Nonn paced the Tech offense with two scores apiece while Kristina Breese led the way for the Colonials with three goals.

The game got out to an early start when GW’s Taylor Donohue scored 14 seconds into the game. Tech (1-4) answered just over a minute later, as Shannon Bone was able to bury a free position goal.

Nonn would match another GW (2-3) goal to keep her scoring streak alive, extending it to five games and tie the game at 2-2.

After a lull in scoring GW sparked what would be a five-goal run, including three from Breese, to go ahead 6-2.

The Hokies found an answer towards the end of the half when Allie Emala put a free position attempt away and assisted Rotanz’s first score of the day, moments later.

Freshman Julia Heaps tacked on one more for Tech before halftime, on another free position attempt, to make the game 7-5 in favor of GW heading into the break.

The second half began with more back-and-forth play, but the Colonials were again on the board first after Donohue scored another goal, ten minutes into the half. The Hokies answered quickly as Nonn put a free position goal in to keep the difference at two.

Rotanz struck again to inch Tech closer to its opponent as she teamed up with Emala for another score.

The Colonials increased the lead back to two with just over nine minutes remaining when Donohue scored another but Caitlyn Wier would put Tech within one immediately after two different Colonials players were issued yellow cards less than five seconds apart.

In the final seconds of the game, the Hokies had the ball and ran down the clock to get the final shot. Emala was fouled and allowed a free position opportunity with four seconds remaining. Her shot nailed the bottom, left post of the goal which caused the ball to roll away from the play as the seconds on the clock ran out.

Alex Gale got the start for Tech in net but was replaced late in the first half by classmate Alexis Carey, who finished the game with four saves. For George Washington, Liz Hoffman made 11 saves.

The Hokies will continue to travel as they break their way into New England. The first stop will be for a mid-week match up at Central Connecticut State on Thursday, March 11 at 4 p.m.