Penn State women top Virginia, advance to NCAA quarterfinals

Here is our video recap of an exciting day in Charlottesville. The #NittanyLions #SurviveAndAdvance. http://t.co/Nc0jojNppJ #ThisIsB1G

— Penn State Women?s Lacrosse (@PennStateWLAX) May 11, 2015

No. 7 Penn State used 14 Emi Smith saves and a trio of hat tricks to beat No. 8 Virginia, 13-11, in an NCAA Second Round contest Sunday at Klöckner Stadium.

[ MORE: View the official interactive NCAA bracket ]

The Nittany Lions head to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third time in four years under head coach Missy Doherty.

"It was a great team effort today," said Doherty. "I think Emi stood on her head today making unbelievable saves. Every game is different: sometimes our offense takes over, sometimes out defense takes over, today Emi kind of took over. It was a great effort by her and by our team to come up with some big goals at huge times."

The Nittany Lions will head to North Carolina on Saturday at 1 p.m. to face the No. 2 Tar Heels with a spot in the NCAA Semifinals at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. on the line. UNC downed Florida, 11-6, at Fetzer Field earlier Sunday.

Read full GoPSUSports.com release.

GAME NOTES
? Lazo became PSU's second 40-goal scorer of the season joining Coffey, who leads the team with 42 tallies. Lazo has 41 goals this year.

? Penn State improved to 7-18 all-time against Virginia and 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament.

? The Nittany Lions improved to 15-0 when leading at halftime. Penn State also defeated its eighth ranked foe, improving to 8-4. PSU beat its fourth top 10 team this this year.

? Penn State is 3-0 against teams it has faced twice this season.

? Penn State & North Carolina will meet for the second time in NCAA Tourney history. The last time was May 7, 2005 at PSU's Jeffrey Field, a 7-6 double-OT win for the Tar Heels.

? Penn State evened its all-time mark in the NCAA Tournament to 18-18. PSU is in its 10th NCAA Quarterfinal.

? Penn State has scored 10-plus goals in every game this season, one of two teams to do so in NCAA Division I (Maryland is the other).

? Taylor Bleistein (Bayville, N.Y.) and Coffey scooped up a team-high three ground balls. Bleistein added a caused turnover, while Ally Heavens (Garnet Valley, Pa.) had a team-best two caused turnovers.