Men’s lacrosse wins faceoff battle in 11-10 fall scrimmage triumph over Virginia Tech

Saturday, October 5

Lynchburg, VA

12:00pm

Liberty University Club Sports

Virginia Tech

Flames senior midfielder Will Geary cuts around a Virginia Tech defender in Saturday's overtime scrimmage victory. (Photo by Anna Wheat)

Men’s lacrosse wins faceoff battle in 11-10 fall scrimmage triumph over Virginia Tech

10/5/2024 5:26:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Liberty graduate Caleb Hammett won 20 of 23 faceoffs and senior midfielder Will Geary scored four goals, including the game winner in overtime.

If possession is nine-tenths of the law, Liberty University's men's lacrosse team owned Virginia Tech in Saturday afternoon's fall season-opening scrimmage at the Liberty Lacrosse Fields, an 11-10 triumph decided in sudden-death overtime.

Caleb Hammett a graduate transfer from UMass, won 20 of 23 faceoffs and picked up 10 ground balls to give the Flames a tremendous edge on the Hokies in time of possession.

"Our faceoff percentage was phenomenal," Liberty Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said. "We only lost three and two of those were on violations, so it was a night and day difference (from last year). I would have thought that would have meant a potential greater margin of victory against a team like Virginia Tech. But it was great to see the type of impact that Caleb can have and that we were all hopeful that he could have."

The rematch of last season's Atlantic Lacrosse Conference (ALC) semifinal, won by the eventual champion Flames at Lynchburg City Stadium, was another back-and-forth battle.

Tied at 5-5 at the half, Virginia Tech drew even at 10-10 with just over four minutes remaining in regulation, forcing the four-minute overtime.

Senior midfielder Will Geary scored four goals, including the game-winner on the first possession of overtime, to pace the Flames' attack.

"We're grateful to have a great faceoff guy this year, so we were able to get possession, call a timeout, get our personnel in and we were able to find matchups and take it to them and score," Geary said. "We reset it, and I had a sweep dodge up top and was able to beat my guy and then get around the second guy and hit a bottom corner."

"Will had a fantastic game," McQuillan added. "He's probably going to be in the running for a first-team All-America at the midfield position."

Geary was complemented by junior attack Luke Branham's two goals and one assist and single scores by attackmen Keaton Mohs and Thomas Dyson and middies Shane Supek, Josiah Hoopman, and Luke Campbell.

Geary said the game was fiercely contested from the opening faceoff, even if Liberty held a lopsided advantage in that department. Sophomore goalie Ian Carvajal made 10 saves and allowed 10 goals for a 50.0 save percentage.

"It's always tight with them and it's always super fun," he said. "As chippy as it was in the beginning, I think both of our teams love it. We love the competition, we always have. We love the chippy-ness. We love the penalties, and we love guys screaming. We love the physicality. It's always a good game against each other no matter how good our team is and how good their team is. We're grateful to come out with the win."

McQuillan expects a terrific test from the Hokies any time the Flames face them on the field, at Lynchburg, in Blacksburg, or at the MCLA National Championships.

"I love playing Virginia Tech," he said. "It's a great test and a great barometer, but at the same time I can also say that everything goes out the window once the spring comes, too. We know that Virginia Tech is a really good team and they're going to continue to get better."

He said Liberty will need to show marked improvement to maintain their competitive edge with the Hokies when they meet again in the Feb. 8 regular-season opener on the road.

Kyle-McQuillan-referee — Flames Head Coach Kyle McQuillan talks with a referee after Saturday's game.

"This was a good start for us, but this wasn't our best start," McQuillan said. "We did a lot of things well, but we were really undisciplined, committed way too many penalties. We're just still trying to figure that part out."

He compared Virginia Tech to his own teams in previous seasons.

"Credit to them, they weren't winning very many faceoffs, but they reminded me of teams like ours for years where we weren't winning faceoffs, but we were just being gritty and staying competitive and staying in the game no matter what," McQuillan said.

After Fall Break next weekend, the Flames will face a potentially stiffer challenge from Hampden-Sydney College on Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. back at the Liberty Lacrosse Fields.

"They're a really good (NCAA) Division III school," Geary said. "It'll honestly be the same type of game and competition, they're just going to be a little more physical. We've played Tech for so many years … Hampden-Sydney's kind of an unknown, but I know it's going to be fun."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Patrick Strawn/Club Sports Director of Video & Media