Virginia's postseason hopes took a turn for the worst yesterday, after a disappointing 5-1 loss to No. 3 Maryland in the play-in game of the ACC field hockey tournament.
The Cavaliers, coming off a 6-1 defeat to Duke, spent this week regrouping and working on the little things in preparation for the tournament. But against Maryland, the Cavaliers appeared sloppy. Coach Jessica Wilk confessed that her team was outplayed.
"Well, I think we knew that they would be a very tough opponent," Wilk said. "They're a very strong team. They're very skilled, and they're very well coached. And they showed it. They really played well, and I think they made us look bad at times."
Maryland opened up the blowout with Lauren Powley's goal that poked by sprawling Virginia goalkeeper Logan Carr on a penalty corner. Powley would record another goal later in the afternoon.
Maryland's second goal came on a 2-on-2 breakaway led by Colleen Barbieri.Barbieri beat the helpless Carr to put Maryland up 2-0. A long pass by Sara Silvetta would lead to another breakaway goal by Anja Boettcher. Paula Infante notched the Terrapin's fourth goal on a run of her own, to put the Terrapins up 4-0 at halftime.
Despite giving up five goals, Carr played excellently considering, as Maryland coach Myssie Meharg pointed out, "she was often left to fend for herself."
Maryland would record 23 shots, more than three times Virginia's seven.
The Cavaliers would have been down 5-0 at the half, but one Maryland goal was taken away as time expired. Powley's second goal came early in the second half on a blast to the top left to put the Terrapins up 5-0.
After halftime, Virginia played a little tougher. The Cavalier offense picked up, working to get Virginia's first penalty corner four minutes into the second half. The defense also clamped down in the second half to give Virginia a chance to climb back into the game.
Maryland would not relent, however, and continuously rebuffed Virginia's offense. Virginia was finally able to score when the Cavaliers were awarded a penalty corner midway through the second half. Maryland goalie Tori Cano stuffed freshman Mia Link as she broke loose at midfield, to set up the corner. Katie Nicholson's insertion eventually found its way to captain Katie Joe Gerfon, who blasted a shot toward the goal. Sophomore Allison Flynn got her stick on the ball and one-timed the shot into the cage for her 12th goal of the year. The score was too little too late, however, as Virginia never recovered from a dismal first half.
"I didn't think we played particularly very well at any stage of the game," Wilk said. "I thought we played a little better in the second half. We didn't do the things that we needed to do to be able to compete."
The loss drops Virginia to 10-10 on the year, and will keep the Cavaliers winless against ACC competition (0-6). With a .500 record, hopes for a berth in the NCAA tournament look slim as well.
Wilk said of the NCAAs, "we'll have to wait and see, but at this point I would say it doesn't look very good."
The NCAA field will be announced Tuesday night.
The ACC tournament will continue today in Charlottesville. No. 4 seeded Maryland will play No. 1 Wake Forest, and No. 2 North Carolina will take on No. 3 Duke at U-Hall Turf Field.
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