The Washington and Lee women’s field hockey team finished out their season on Nov. 7 as they fell to the No. 1 Shenandoah Hornets in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament semifinals in a 2-5 loss.
The Generals closed out this year with a strong 12-7 record, their fifth consecutive year of double-digit wins. They faced a particularly strong field of opponents this year, as five of those seven losses were against teams ranked in the top 15 of the DIII national field hockey poll.
W&L scored 52 goals for an average of 2.74 per game while holding opponents to 1.42 goals per game. They also outshot opponents 348-154, dominating on both sides of the field for much of the year.
Despite the team’s season coming to an end, the fall was filled with highlights, especially at Washington and Lee’s home field.
“My favorite moment this season was beating Mary Washington in overtime,” said forward Betty Boatwright, ’26, who was selected for the all-ODAC second team for a third straight year.
“When my teammate, A.B. Fiveash, scored the winning goal in overtime and our whole team ran on the field to celebrate, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by how grateful I was to be playing alongside such dedicated, hard-working and supportive teammates,” she said.
Other highlights included a 3-2 overtime win against No. 24 ranked Stevens College, where the team had a late resurgence from a 2-0 deficit capped off by a game-winner by midfielder Margaret Cover, ’27.
A big part of the team’s success and chemistry this season came from new additions to the team, said Cover. “We were lucky enough to have seven new freshmen and one new sophomore this year, and our new additions played a huge role in boosting the team spirit and elevating our level of play,” she said.
Boatwright reflected the same sentiment. “It’s definitely tough starting off your first year of college in season, but their dedication and hard work never wavered and I know they will be perfect role models for the next incoming first-year class.”
Several of the team’s members were selected as all-ODAC players in addition to Boatwright. Midfielder Maddy Duggleby, ’25, earned first-team honors in her final season on the team. Sydney Baggett, ’26, Zoe Dolfis, ’27, and Jordan Hoover, ’26, were selected to the all-ODAC second team, while Anne Burns Fiveash was selected to the third team.
The field hockey team will return most of its players next year and look to reach new heights next season.
“We are graduating an accomplished group of seniors, but I am excited to see what next year will bring,” said Cover. “We have a talented group of girls that can lead our next season of hockey hopefully into an ODAC championship and an NCAA bid.”
