Charles Nailen/The Hoya Wick Stanwick had four points on two goals and two assists in the win over Tech.

Some teams start their seasons slowly and then take their cues from the winter weather and snowball later in the season. The women’s lacrosse team, however, opened its season as if somebody had lit a fire under them, scorching Virginia Tech for a 17-5 win.

The game, originally scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday on Kehoe Field, was moved by the storm to the Artificial Turf Facility located at University of Maryland. Finally, at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, the No. 4 Hoyas began their season, playing as if it were just the day before that they had played to Princeton in the national title game.

“I was pleased with it as a season-opener because we’ve had some difficulties in the past week or week and a half in terms of not being able to practice and not having a field – and the weather,” Head Coach Kim Simons said. “There were a lot of things that a team could’ve got caught up in . but the team did a good job of staying focused and putting forth what I thought was a very good, solid team effort.”

Junior midfielder Anouk Peters and sophomore mid Allison Chambers each tallied four goals in the game. Both had a hat trick before the end of the first half. Adding an assist to her credit, Chambers led all scorers for the game. It was Peters, however, who started the game big for Georgetown, netting her first goal less than four minutes into the season, on a free position shot.

Senior attack Wick Stanwick fired one in less than two minutes later, and within the next two minutes, Peters and Chambers had contributed, giving the Hoyas a 4-0 lead. Just over seven minutes into the game, Georgetown had iced Virginia Tech, who would never again be closer than four goals.

Following Chambers’ goal at 22:57, Tech and Georgetown traded goals for the next nine minutes, each putting in two, as Chambers again scored and sophomore attack Sarah Oliphant added one. Senior attacks Lauren Kenny and Katie Madden contributed to the futile effort for Tech, putting the Hokies on the board in the first half.

Georgetown, up 5-2, decided it was not satisfied, and the Hoyas strung together five straight goals before the end of the half. Peters put in two and Chambers gave her third of the morning. Senior midfielder Liz Ryan took an assist from sophomore mid Lauryn Bernier to net her first goal of the season and her 50th career goal; she put in her 51st in the second half.

Tech’s Kenny scored the last goal of the half, but Georgetown went into the break up 10-3 and playing well. The Hoyas made sure the Hokies were on ice early in the second half as they came out playing even better than in the first.

Stanwick scored her second of the game while junior mid Gloria Lozano and senior attack Tracy Weickel chipped in tallies to put Georgetown up by 10 to put the game too far out of reach for Tech to mount any semblance of a comeback.

Simons emphasized the importance of balance exhibited by the team in its victory. “Players like Wick Stanwick, people will say `oh, she only had two goals’ but she had two goals and two assists – she still had four points. Liz Ryan also had four points with some assists and some goals. Gloria totally dominated the draw and then also had a couple nice goals.”

The Hokies added only two goals to their effort in the second half while the Hoyas put in seven. For Georgetown, the period was marked by outstanding goaltending from sophomore goalie Sarah Robinson who recorded six stops in the second half and eight for the game in her first collegiate start.

“It’s always important to get that first game under your belt as a goalie,” Simons said. “It’s a nerve-racking position and she’s really been working hard and we’re just trying to keep her calm and focused in there. I expect very good things from her this year.”

The Hoyas finished the game with three straight tallies and picked up their first of what looks to be many victories this season, providing they continue the strong offensive output and defensive stamina they showed on Tuesday.

Because the game was moved from Georgetown to Maryland, the Hoyas do not play their first home game until March 15, when they take on Big East rival Syracuse, ranked No. 15 in the pre-season polls. Weather permitting, Georgetown takes on No. 19 University of Richmond today at 3:30 p.m. in Richmond.

“It’s going to be a war. Richmond is an incredibly feisty and aggressive team and they’ve got an attitude like they’ve got something to prove” Simons said. “We know we’re going to go down there and they’re going to jump on us from the beginning. We need to make sure we’re focused from the first whistle and put forth 60 minutes of great team effort.”