It may be only two games into the season, but the No. 8 Virginia squad is already noticing that they might have something special this year.
As the Cavaliers (2-0) head north this weekend to face Dayton and Ohio State, they bring more than just an undefeated record to the field. They have already achieved a team unity and cohesiveness that eluded them last season.
"I think we're playing more as a team than probably should be expected this early," senior goalkeeper Anne Abernathy said. "We're talking a lot better and playing better on the field as well. Everyone is playing for one another and not necessarily themselves."
Last year, the Cavaliers struggled early on. After opening the season with a 7-0 blowout victory over St. Joseph's and ascending to a No. 5 national ranking, Virginia went 0-2-1 in their next three games. The squad recovered to win four straight against weaker non-conference opponents, but then opened their ACC schedule with three losses in a row.
Although the Cavaliers finished above .500 in the ACC and made it to the third round of the NCAA tournament, they failed to come close to meeting early season expectations.
This year seems to be a different story altogether. The Cavaliers lost only two starters and opened the year with a successful preseason, thrashing Oakland, 9-1, and tying Michigan State, 1-1.
"We had a great preseason," sophomore midfielder Kelly Hammond said. "We played extremely well and also had some great team bonding. We're playing a lot more together this year as a team right now than at any point all of last season and that's a big advantage."
Virginia's winning ways have carried over into the regular season, as the Cavaliers shut out No. 18 West Virginia, 1-0, and snuck by William and Mary, 2-1. Now, facing two undefeated squads on the road, the Cavaliers realize their high ranking will give their opponents extra incentive to take them down.
"The big thing now is that we've got a bull's eye on our back," Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. "We're going to have it for most of the season and we're going to have to be prepared for everyone's best games."
Neither Ohio State nor Dayton is nationally ranked -- despite both having a 2-0 record -- but Dayton has not let up a goal all year and the Buckeyes have scored at least four goals in each of their games.
"All the Ohio teams tend to be a good size, athletic and pretty aggressive," Hammond said. "We're looking to come out hard and put them away early."
Virginia has failed to dominate teams right away so far this season, not scoring a goal until over 86 minutes into the West Virginia game and failing to get off a shot on goal in the entire first half against William & Mary. Despite limited early production, Swanson has failed to lose faith in his team's offense.
"I still feel very strongly about our offense," Swanson said. "I feel good about us moving the ball and I feel good about our chances."
What the Cavaliers undoubtedly do have going for them is confidence and an unusually strong team bond. Freshman forward Ariel Thompson, who has captained a state championship high school squad and a successful private team, said she has never seen a team unity as strong as Virginia's.
"Playing with this group of girls is phenomenal," Thompson said. "It's the best group of girls I've ever played with my whole life. The chemistry on the team is so awesome too. I've never been around a group of girls that were so skilled but still such good teammates too."
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