Ella Rishko's Record-Setting Day Eases Virginia Tech Past Pitt

By Bradley Winterling

Staff Writer

April 23, 2023

Ella Rishko scored a record-setting seven goals in Virginia Tech's 18-6 drubbing of Pitt. (Virginia Tech Athletics)

BLACKSBURG – Freshman Ella Rishko tied the record for goals scored in an ACC Women’s Lacrosse Championship game with seven on Sunday, leading the Hokies to a comfortable win in the first round of the tournament. The 7-seed Hokies (9-8, 3-6 ACC) defeated the 10-seed Panthers (4-12, 0-9), by a score of 18-6, notching their second win against Pitt this season. 

The game started off with a quick goal from Pitt’s Camdyn O’Donnell, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead just a few minutes into the game. However, the Hokies went on to score an electric nine unanswered goals, which created a 9-1 lead with five minutes to go in the second quarter. 

Goals came from Rishko, Olivia Vergano, Hannah Mardiney and Maura O’Malley during the run. Vergano was responsible for four of the nine goals, netting a hat trick in the first quarter and scoring her fourth goal of the game with 5:11 to go in the second quarter. 

“Creating for each other, moving off-ball, cutting through, creating opportunities for one another. … A lot of credit goes to our defense,” Vergano said after the game. “They set us up for success, making stops [and] using that momentum to go forward created a lot of success for us offensively.”

Pitt scored a pair of goals at the end of the second quarter, with another coming from O’Donnell and the other from Maureen McNierney. The problem for the Panthers was that they were unable to stop Tech’s offense, as Rishko added two goals in the final three minutes before the break. 

“It just comes from my teammates,” Rishko said. “Our draw team did an amazing job, our defense made insane stops, cleared the ball [and] did everything they are supposed to do. Our offense just worked so well together that it gave me so many opportunities, and I really wouldn't be able to do it without my teammates and my coaches.”

There was a sense that the game was all but over at halftime, as Tech was up 11-3. The Hokies have frequently been in close games this season. Their average scoring margin going into the ACC tournament was just 1.9 goals, which made it even sweeter to have a secure lead at half. 

“You just never know how these games are gonna go, especially when you have to play a team for the second time,” Tech head coach Kristen Skiera said. “A tough thing is like, ‘okay we beat Pitt decisively the first time around.’ As a coach you’re always prepared for all the adjustments that could possibly come to you, and you have to think ahead.

“It was just a good feeling that they were ready for the moment, and no matter what our opponent could throw at us, they had the tools to be able to overcome that. It was great to be able to go into halftime with that lead and see the belief on their faces.”

Pitt came out after halftime scoring two of the first three goals in the third quarter, trying to chip away at the deficit, but Tech kept answering. Rishko added her sixth and seventh goals, with Caroline Little and Maridney pitching in as well. 

The Hokies’ defense was an instrumental part of the success, only allowing 18 shots and clearing the ball 13 times. There were two goals on the day that began from quick runs that were the result of a save from goalie Jocelyn Torres and a forced turnover.

“It starts with our defense,” Rishko said. “Shutout after shutout on multiple possessions, and that is so empowering to our offense. When the defense does stuff like that it makes your offense want to work so hard to score.”

Tech stayed hot in the fourth quarter, scoring the final three goals of the game. Kayla Frank chipped in with one while Blair Guy finished off the Panthers, scoring back-to-back goals that were just 30 seconds apart. 

The 7-seed Hokies will travel to Charlotte to face 2-seed Syracuse on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The Orange defeated the Hokies 16-5 back in March, but Skiera believes there is a great opportunity in front of them.

“In order to be the best you have to beat the best,” Skiera said about the matchup. “When you are the No. 2 team in the nation, that comes with a whole set of expectations, standards and stressors that they're going into the game with.

“It's a great opportunity for us to go and redeem ourselves from our first performance against them, and play like we have nothing to lose. … And we really don't have anything to lose at this point,” Skiera said.