Va. Tech’s Riley Has Top Performance
ATLANTA – After leading Virginia Tech to the SELC Division I Tournament championship, Hokies senior midfielder Danny Riley earned Commanding Performance of the Week powered by Under Armour for the period ending April 22.
Virginia Tech defeated three ranked teams in three days and it started with a win over No. 17 Georgia as Riley scored a goal and dished out an assist in the Hokies’ 12-8 victory in the quarterfinals.
The Alexandria, Va., product followed that up with four goals in Tech’s 15-5 triumph over No. 22 Clemson in the semifinals.
In the championship game against No. 3 and previously undefeated South Carolina, Riley struck for two goals and an assist in the 9-7 triumph.
For the weekend, Riley amassed eight goals and two assists in helping his team earn an automatic qualifying berth to the 2018 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour.
"Danny is a special player and easily one of the most dynamic lacrosse players I've had the pleasure of coaching,” said Virginia Tech coach Tim O’Brien. “He is truly the definition of a difference maker, and this weekend further proved that.
“This team is young, and having the senior leadership, skill, and poise of Danny Riley was immensely helpful in our success this past weekend. He didn't just score goals or make plays; he orchestrated offense that only he saw on the field."
For his efforts in earning the Commanding Performance of the Week powered by Under Armour, Riley will receive a new Under Armour Command Head – a $100 value. Under Armour is the proud sponsor of the MCLA.
Under Armour Honor Roll
Brett Braun, Sr. – Michigan State
The attackman buried five goals and set up a sixth, helping the Spartans roll past Minnesota, 16-5, and win their seventh straight CCLA crown.
Keaton Collier, Fr. – Santa Clara
Collier scored five goals and dished out an assist in a win against Dominican, giving the Broncos their best league record in over 13 years.
Kieran Fara & Hayden Dall, Fr. – Sonoma State
Fara dominated on faceoffs, winning 24-of-36 draws while Dall had five goals and two assists as the Seawolves swept Nevada and Chico.
Clay Goldthwait, Jr. – USC
The attackman posted four goals, two assists and a pair of ground balls in the Trojans 12-6 triumph over archrival UCLA.
A.J. Hepting, Jr. – Texas A&M
The attackman led the Aggies to the LSA title, combining for seven goals, two assists and four groundballs in wins over SMU and Oklahoma.
Chris McPartland, Sr. – Northeastern
In huge wins over UConn and Boston College, McPartland combined for 29 saves and just 16 goals allowed (64.4 sv%).