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The 2014 ACC women's lacrosse Tournament gets underway at 11:00 am Thursday April 24 at Alumni Stadium on the campus of Boston College. For the first time in the 18-year history of the event, the tournament has a full complement of quarter final teams and no team will receive a bye.
The Maryland Terrapins enter the tournament as the top seed for the eleventh time. The Terps have won ten ACC Tournament titles including the last five. In the Tournament's opening game, Maryland will face off against the eighth seeded Virginia Tech Hokies.
In other matchups, fourth seeded Duke will take on the fifth seed the Virginia Cavaliers. Following that game, second seeded Syracuse will play seventh seeded Notre Dame. Thursday's final contest will feature the host school and sixth seed Boston College Eagles and the number three seed and defending national champions, the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Some intriguing questions hover over this tournament. Can the top seeded Terrapins win their eleventh ACC Tournament title? Or will the defending national champion Tar Heels win their first ACC title in over a decade? Can a very good Boston College team hold serve on their home field? Or will upstart newcomer Syracuse continue their hot play and crash the party. Here's some information to help you decide.
(8) Virginia Tech Hokies vs. (1) Maryland Terrapins
Virginia Tech Snapshot: The Hokies closest ACC game was a five goal loss to Virginia.
Maryland Snapshot: The Terps have two losses in the last two years both to coming at the hands of UNC by a total of three goals.
Featured Players for the Hokies
Megan Will, Jr., Attack, #35 - Leads the Hokies with 45 goals and 17 assists and takes nearly one of every four Virginia Tech shots.
Meg Bartley, Jr., Attack, #19 - Tech's second leading scorer with 34 goals. Won't create her own shot but will look for space on passes from Will and Julia Heaps.
Julia Heaps, R-Sr., Attack, #26 - Third leading scorer with 31 goals and 13 assists. Connects on nearly 69 percent of her shots.
Featured Players for the Terrapins
Taylor Cummings, So., Midfield, #21 - One of three Terrapins with 44 goals on the season. Leads team with 83 draw controls, 26 ground balls, 23 caused turnovers. Second in assists with 21.
Brooke Griffin, Jr., Attack #11 - Second 44 goal scorer for Maryland. Makes nearly 70 percent of her shots.
Kelly McPartland, Jr., Midfield # 6 - Third 44 goal scorer. Also leads team in assists with 25.
Tale of the Tape:
| Maryland | Virginia Tech | Maryland | Virginia Tech | |
| Total Goals For | 256 | 183 | 22 | 12 |
| Toal Goals Against | 135 | 229 | 12 | 22 |
| Goals for Average | 15.06 | 11.44 | N/A | N/A |
| Goals Against Avg | 7.94 | 14.31 | N/A | N/A |
| Ground Balls | 240 | 244 | 15 | 8 |
| Draw Controls | 273 | 216 | 20 | 15 |
| Turnovers | 188 | 207 | 7 | 11 |
| Caused Turnovers | 128 | 115 | 9 | 4 |
| Clearing % | 90.60% | 85.40% | 92.31% | 81.80% |
| Opp. Clearing % | 77.20% | 83.10% | 81.82% | 92.30% |
(5) Virginia Cavaliers vs. (4) Duke Blue Devils
Virginia Snapshot: The Cavaliers only loss in their last 6 games was 13-8 to Maryland in College Park.
Duke Snapshot: The Blue Devils have lost two of their last three. Their only win was 7-6 overtime borefest at UNC.
Featured Players for the Cavaliers
Courtney Swan, Jr., Attack, #7 - Leads UVA in goals and assists with 48 and 21 respectively. Shoots 57 percent. Has 82 draw controls.
Liza Blue, Sr., Attack #9 - Virginia's second leading scorer with 44 goals.
Liz Colgan, Sr., GK # 28 - Leads ACC with 11.94 saves per game. Has a 46.1 save percentage.
Featured Players for the Blue Devils
Kerrin Maurer, Jr., Attack #9 - Leads Duke in goals 47 and assists 25. Makes 58 percent of her shots. Scored winning goal in upset of UNC.
Kelsey Duryea, So. GK, #25 - Averages 7.2 saves per game. 42.2 save percentage.
Tale of the Tape:
| On the | Season | Head | to Head | |
| Duke | Virginia | Duke | Virginia | |
| Season Record | 9-6 | 9-7 | ||
| ACC Record | 3-4 | 3-4 | ||
| Streak | W 1 | W 1 | ||
| Computer Rating | 13 | 12 | ||
| Total Goals For | 202 | 227 | 16 | 11 |
| Toal Goals Against | 149 | 190 | 11 | 16 |
| Goals for Average | 13.47 | 14.19 | N/A | N/A |
| Goals Against Avg | 9.93 | 11.88 | N/A | N/A |
| Ground Balls | 234 | 278 | 21 | 23 |
| Opp. Ground Balls | 217 | 269 | 23 | 21 |
| Draw Controls | 204 | 235 | 16 | 13 |
| Opp. Draw Controls | 175 | 211 | 13 | 16 |
| Turnovers | 176 | 193 | 13 | 16 |
| Caused Turnovers | 121 | 111 | 11 | 6 |
| Clearing % | 83.20% | 78.80% | 80.00% | 60.00% |
| Opp. Clearing % | 77.60% | 81.90% | 60.00% | 80.00% |
(7) Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. (2) Syracuse Orange
Notre Dame Snapshot: The Irish have lost four of their last five and will play Syracuse for the second time in a week.
Syracuse Snapshot: The Orange have won nine straight since their only loss of the season to Maryland on March 10.
Featured Players for the Fighting Irish
Courtney Fortunato, Fr., Attack, #15 - Leads Irish in goals with 41 and assists with 13.
Margaret Smith, Sr., Midfield, #22 - Tops in ground balls (52) and draw controls 37
Featured Players for the Orange
Kayla Treanor, So., Attack # 21 - Leads ACC with 58 goals. Shoots 50 percent. Second on team with 27 Assists
Alyssa Murray, Sr. Attack #1 - 40 goals and 30 assists (leads team) on the season. Makes 55.6 percent of shots.
Kailah Kempney, Jr., Attack, #3 - Team leading 81 draw controls.
Tale of the Tape:
| On the | Season | Head | to Head | |
| Syracuse | Notre Dame | Syracuse | Notre Dame | |
| Season Record | 15-1 | 9-7 | ||
| ACC Record | 6-1 | 2-5 | ||
| Streak | W 9 | L 2 | ||
| Computer Rating | 2 | 18 | ||
| Total Goals For | 247 | 192 | 18 | 10 |
| Toal Goals Against | 132 | 167 | 10 | 18 |
| Goals for Average | 15.44 | 12.00 | N/A | N/A |
| Goals Against Avg | 8.25 | 10.44 | N/A | N/A |
| Ground Balls | 268 | 346 | 15 | 17 |
| Opp. Ground Balls | 231 | 280 | 17 | 15 |
| Draw Controls | 248 | 183 | 22 | 8 |
| Opp. Draw Controls | 159 | 206 | 8 | 22 |
| Turnovers | 225 | 237 | 18 | 14 |
| Caused Turnovers | 143 | 162 | 5 | 8 |
| Clearing % | 84.20% | N/A | 93.30% | 77.80% |
| Opp. Clearing % | 70.90% | N/A | 77.80% | 93.30% |
(6) Boston College Eagles vs. (3) North Carolina Tar Heels
Boston College Snapshot: The Eagles four losses this season have come by a combined six goals.
North Carolina Snapshot: The most potent offense in the ACC, the Tar Heels scored only 20 goals in their three losses.
Featured Players for the Eagles
Mikaela Rix, Jr. Midfield, # 17 - Eagles leading scorer with 47 goals on 55 percent shooting.
Sarah Mannelly, So. Midfield, #6 - 53 percent shooter has scored 40 goals.
Covie Stanwick, Jr., Attack, #8 - Eagles most balanced threat with 36 goals and 32 assists.
Featured players for the Tar Heels
Abby Friend, Sr., Attack, #18 - 53 goals leads UNC. Shoots 56.4 percent
Sydney Holman, Fr., Attack, #10 - Leads Tar Heels in assists with 27. Fourth leading goal scorer with 31.
Aly Messinger, So. Attack, #27 - Second leading scorer with 39 goals. Shoots 54.9 percent
Tale of the Tape:
| On the | Season | Head | to Head | |
| North Carolina | Boston College | North Carolina | Boston College | |
| Season Record | 13-3 | 12-4 | ||
| ACC Record | 5-2 | 3-4 | ||
| Streak | W 1 | W 2 | ||
| Computer Rating | 3 | 5 | ||
| Total Goals For | 257 | 215 | 14 | 13 |
| Toal Goals Against | 144 | 152 | 13 | 14 |
| Goals for Average | 16.06 | 13.44 | N/A | N/A |
| Goals Against Avg | 9.00 | 9.50 | N/A | N/A |
| Ground Balls | 317 | 203 | 9 | 10 |
| Opp. Ground Balls | 264 | 175 | 10 | 9 |
| Draw Controls | 237 | 227 | 14 | 16 |
| Opp. Draw Controls | 195 | 168 | 16 | 14 |
| Turnovers | 182 | 171 | 10 | 10 |
| Caused Turnovers | 130 | 97 | 5 | 6 |
| Clearing % | 84.90% | 87.30% | 90.90% | 90.90% |
| Opp. Clearing % | 71.70% | 75.60% | 90.90% | 90.90% |