It may go down as the most significant 15 minutes of the season for the Cavaliers. The 7-on-7 overtime period against James Madison last Friday would prove the doubters wrong -- or add fuel to the fire. So, midway through the extra session, Virginia coach Jess Wilk did what many coaches would not have done: insert a freshman into the game.
Minutes after Margaretha Ehret came on, however, the Philadelphia, Pa. native helped lead the drive that would result in the winning short corner.
"She's real skilled, very smart, pretty poised, and I feel like she's given us good performances," Wilk said.
Despite having a roster in which 11 players are juniors or seniors, Wilk said she expects Ehret and her classmates to play an important role this season.
"We expected them to come in and contribute right away, both during games and in practice," Wilk said. "We wanted them to bring the level of play up, and we have not been disappointed with them."
Ehret started the season at center midfield but has since changed positions multiple times. She has been mindful of taking natural growing pains and turning them into positives.
"I came in knowing it was going to be hard," Ehret said. "But I'm excited, and I try to build my confidence every game."
Fellow freshman Lucy Meyers also has risen to the challenge, netting her first career goal against Monmouth and garnering significant playing time early in the year.
"Lucy Meyers is another first year who has really stepped up and been very consistent, very steady over the course of the season," Wilk said.
Meyers has started three of the team's seven games. Ehret has started six games and has posted one goal and one assist. Against Monmouth, freshmen Christie Kellam and Leigh Giacco scored their first collegiate goals.
While Ehret and Meyers may get the most significant amount of playing time, the importance of the chemistry among the freshmen players should not be discounted.
"We get along really well and are really supportive," Ehret said. "Being a first year is hard, and a lot of us are experiencing the same problems on and off the field, and it's good to have five other people going through the same thing."
Wilk surely will look to get production from the freshmen Wednesday night when the Cavaliers take on William & Mary in Williamsburg. The Tribe is ranked No. 20 nationally.
Last year, William & Mary came to Charlottesville and returned home with a 5-4 victory. The Cavaliers will look to halt the Tribe's recent success over them, as the Tribe has won three of the last four meetings.
"[This is a] huge game for us," Wilk said. "[It's a] big in-state rivalry, and we are looking forward to the test."
William & Mary recently lost to No. 16 Richmond and fell earlier in the year to ACC powerhouse No. 3 North Carolina. The Tribe is 4-3 on the season.
Virginia remains unranked in the latest rankings but continues to receive votes.
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