For all accounts and purposes, only one half of the Klockner Stadium field was needed in the No. 6 Virginia women's soccer team's season-opening 7-0 shutout victory against the Hawks of St. Joseph's (0-1).
By the end of the night, Virginia junior goalkeeper Anne Abernethy had touched the ball only a handful of times, while her teammates kept the ball in Hawk territory for the majority of the contest, racking up 35 shots on goal to two for St. Joseph's.
In the 90-minute game, the Cavaliers (1-0) effortlessly dominated their opponents, winning balls, maintaining ball movement and taking advantage of their speed and depth.
Virginia Coach Steve Swanson was able to put 20 players into the game and examine various on-field configurations, as a young Virginia team continues to fine-tune its play as a single unit.
After weeks of preseason training and several matches against male opponents, the Cavalier women were anxious to take their game to the field.
"The first game is always really exciting," senior forward Darci Borski said. "Preseason gets monotonous."
Virginia set the tone of the game early, displaying bursts of speed and connecting on crisp passes, before sophomore forward Lindsay Gusick ripped a ball from sophomore defender Gillian Hatch into the net in the fifth minute of play.
After the following Hawk kickoff, the Cavaliers regained possession within a minute. All told, in the first half, the Cavaliers boasted 21 shots to St. Joseph's 0 and scored six times.
Senior defender and team captain Kelly Worden notched Virginia's second goal on a penalty kick in the 16th minute. Throughout the match, Worden and the rest of the Cavalier defensive line proved an impenetrable border for the Hawk forwards, who often gave the Cavaliers ample time to make decisions in placing the ball upfield.
In her first collegiate start, freshman forward and 2001 NSCAA National Player of the Year Kristen Weiss worked in the left side of the field throughout the early minutes, weaving through the Hawk defense. In the 24th minute, she made her definitive move, driving up the middle of the field to the top of the 18-yard box and fired a searing shot beyond Hawk goalkeeper Christy Ganc's reach.
"We knew the freshmen would do well," Borski said. "It was good that they finally got the chance to play and that so many players could get into the game."
After Weiss' goal, junior forward Sarah Lane entered the game. In the next 20 minutes, she added the fourth and fifth goals to the Virginia tally.
"Sarah Lane is playing as well as I've seen her play," Swanson said. "I'm very confident in our strikers."
After assisting Lane on the fifth goal, senior forward Alyssa Benitez added her own to the mix three seconds before the period ended on a penalty kick.
The second half followed much the same as the first with the Cavaliers out-shooting St. Joseph's, 14-2. Swanson allowed much of the playing time to go to younger players, including freshman midfielder Noelle Keselica, who scored Virginia's final goal in the 86th minute.
Swanson and his players believe that opening the season against St. Joseph's allowed Virginia important time to establish integral team relationships that will prove effective throughout the season.
Swanson also highlighted occasional offensive stagnancy and several set plays as areas in which improvements can be made. But overall, the victory should give the Cavaliers a boost of confidence before traveling to California to play No. 3 UCLA on Friday and Southern California on Sunday.
"It's such a short season," Swanson said. "It's important to get off to a good start"
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