A win over N.C. State this Saturday would secure the Virginia women's soccer team the No. 2 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. The Cavaliers hope to repeat last year's performance and beat N.C. State once again in the last home game of the season.
"Klöckner [Stadium] is one of the best fields in the country," senior midfielder Kelly Hammond said. "It's always an advantage playing there with the best fans and the best environment."
The women's last home game also will be the first game of Saturday's men's and women's soccer doubleheader. The men's team will face Virginia Tech at 7 p.m.
"It's our first [doubleheader] all year, so that's exciting," senior midfielder Sarah Huffman said. "The atmosphere will be great."
Fellow senior midfielder Noelle Keselica also said she is excited about the doubleheader.
"It's good for both of us to be home, back to back," Keselica said. "Hopefully, we will get a good crowd for both games since they are the last home games of the regular season and the senior games."
The last home game each season is traditionally dedicated to the seniors. This year, both the men's and women's teams will have their senior games on the same night.
"We always draw good crowds to the doubleheaders," women's coach Steve Swanson said. "It's a great chance to honor both groups of seniors."
This is the final season for three of Virginia's premier players. A young team on the whole, the Cavaliers have looked to Sarah Huffman, Noelle Keselica and Kelly Hammond as more than just midfielders -- they are their leaders and role models.
"What stands out to me about this particular class is that they are warriors, they are competitors," Swanson said. "They plan to win every time they step out on the field. I think that's been a huge catalyst for our development as a program. Seeing how they carry themselves, the kinds of standards they've set, I think it's been tremendous."
The girls themselves are looking towards Saturday with an acute awareness of what it means to be a senior and the significance of what could be their last home game.
"Senior Day -- it's going to be tough, but hopefully it won't be our last home game here," Huffman said. "It is sad, it being our last regular season game. It's been amazing, the last four years here, kind of like a rollercoaster ride -- the ups and downs -- but I couldn't ask for a better school, better coaches or a better team."
Swanson said he also expects Saturday to be a very moving night.
"I think it's always an emotional day," he said. "It's a hard one because you know you have more games, but personally, it's always a tough one for me. It is really a chance to honor our seniors, because it's a tremendous sacrifice to play a Division I sport for four years. So it's a very small thing we do, but it's well deserved for these three."
The Cavaliers will kickoff against the Wolfpack at 5 p.m.
SEASON RECORDS
- Overall season record: 12-4-1
- Record in the conference: 7-2-0
- Leading scorer: Freshman Jess Rostedt, eight goals
- Total games opponents have been shut-out thisseason: 10
- Games Virginia has won 1-0: Six
- All-time record against N.C. State:15-11-1
- Record in last ten games against N.C. State
10-0-0
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