After playing a pair of games on the road last weekend, the Cavaliers returned home to shutout non-conference foe Longwood, 5-0.
Virginia got off to a slow start, allowing several penalty corners and leaving open holes in the defense.
"In the first half, we came out sluggish and Longwood definitely capitalized on that," senior Katie Jo Gerfen said. "They came down and got a couple corners."
In response to the slight lag in the pace, coach Jessica Wilk called a timeout that changed the course of the rest of the game.
"We had a slow start, but it got better toward the end," Wilk said. "I think we were just a little casual when we came out."
The next few minutes saw increased action from Virginia's offensive side, with Gerfen claiming the first point of the game off a penalty corner assisted by senior Katie Nicholson and sophomore Sarah Miller.
Four minutes later, sophomore Katie Phillips scored from a penalty corner, again assisted by Nicholson and Miller.
As the Cavaliers stepped up their defense, they were able to deflect Longwood's two penalty corner attempts. Freshman Erin Hayes capitalized on the Cavaliers' momentum and captured Virginia's third goal of the game before the end of the half, with one minute on the clock.
"I think we started working better, playing with a little bit more sense of urgency," Wilk said.
Wilk's words describe the second half's explosive start, with Cavalier freshman Mia Link's successful shot in the first minute.
"In the second half I think we definitely stepped it up," Gerfen said.
The competition continued for the next 20 minutes, with both teams working hard to gain extended control of the ball and working their way up the field.
Virginia obtained several penalty corners but was unable to make good on them until freshman Lindsey O'Bannon's shot sailed through the Longwood barrier and put number five on the board for the Cavaliers.
"We finished better today than we performed this weekend," Wilk said. "We got good play from our goaltenders, and it was a better defensive effort in the second half most of the time, although we still have some lapses that I'd like to get rid of."
Gerfen noted that the team was focused and actively using both the left and right sides of the field.
Besides this more even coverage of the field and an increase in the number of players making contact with the ball in pushing it up the field, the Cavaliers also demonstrated better endurance than in recent games, as they are working to eliminate lapses and stay strong through the full 70 minutes.
"We are also working on recognizing that we have to play on both sides of the ball, attacking and defending, and that we have to play as a unit," Wilk said.
Virginia players and coaches noted that they will be focusing on these areas in practice this week in preparation for Friday's game in Richmond against tough instate rival VCU.
"We need to grow as a group each and every time we play," Wilk said.
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