The No. 4 Cavaliers (5-2, 2-0 ACC) test drove a new style of offense in their latest match-up against fellow ACC contender North Carolina (4-3, 0-2) Saturday. After sealing a 16-9 victory over the Tar Heels, Virginia remained tied with Duke for first place in the conference.
Virginia executed a different style of offense on Saturday, focusing more on assists. The team looks to put the new offense into practice for the rest of the season starting today against Maryland-Baltimore County and No. 17 William & Mary Thursday.
UMBC and William & Mary faced off on Saturday, when the Retrievers fell to the Tribe 17-6. Tribe sophomore attack Coleen Dalon recorded a career best six goals, contributing to the decisive victory. The Retrievers remain winless thus far this season, while the Tribe improved its record to 4-2. William & Mary's win total in six games already surpasses their season total from a year ago.
Virginia hopes the success it found with the new offense will hold true in this week's match-ups.
"For years and years we've played a freelance and we'll continue to play it -- we didn't play it today though," Virginia coach Julie Meyers said. "It's more of a one-on-one offense."
Often viewed as a one-women team centered on powerhouse attack Amy Appelt, the new strategy is set up to elicit contributions from other players.
The new offense "just gets people a little bit more involved, it keeps it a little more accountable for making good touches to the ball and it shares it a little bit more, so I thought the kids did a great job," Myers said.
This is crucial for the Cavaliers, who have been plagued with injuries. They are competing without junior All-American attacker Cary Chesney and sophomore midfielder Meredith Lazarus who both tore their ACLs early in the season.
"With some of our injuries we have lost our one-on-one attackers that drive on that one-on-one, so we figured out that Caitlin [Banks] is great backdooring, and Morgan [Thanlenberg] is terrific from the top corner, and we've got other kids that would be awesome coming around the crease," Myers said. "So we thought that this would just better fit the kids that we're trying to play with, so we changed our style a little bit to our strengths."
The Cavaliers' leading scorer, Appelt, did not feel well and was forced to sit out parts of the game Saturday. The new strategy helped keep the offense strong in her absence.
"Our kids have really put themselves in the position to be ready when they get the opportunity," Myers said. "So when Amy [Appelt] needed a little break or water because she wasn't feeling well today, I don't think we slowed down, I don't think we missed a beat, and I think that's the beauty of having such a balanced team and solid players that are coming off your bench as well as that are on the field."
Each of the Cavaliers' first six goals was scored by a different player, exemplifying the balance brought by the new offense.
"It means that more people want the ball and more people want to go to the goal," Appelt said. "It's taking a lot of the load off of me and the loss of Cary."
The Cavaliers' different offensive strategy will face a strong Tribe defense. The William & Mary defense largely contributed to its victory over UMBC. William & Mary allowed just 23 total shots, and sophomore keeper Debby Petracca turned away a career-best 14 shots.
Virginia will host UMBC tonight and William & Mary Thursday both at 7 p.m. This week's games may prove to be the first true test of the Cavaliers' new offense.
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