The women's soccer team knows where it wants to go. It has been over three years since the team has gotten out of the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, but this year is different. This year, the team is focused, new and ready to fight. This year, for the women's soccer team, California is calling.
"We have certain goals in mind this year," junior Shannon Foley said. "One of them is to get to the Final Four."
This Sunday, the Cavaliers will face Cal State-Fullerton at Klöckner Stadium in the third round of the Tournament. If they win, they will fly out to California to compete in the Final Four.
Getting to the Final Four is especially important to the Cavaliers, given the team's history. For the last two years Virginia has been given the honor of hosting the NCAA Tournament, only to be upset by a lower-ranked team in the second round. Two years ago, Villanova knocked Virginia out of the Tournament, and last year it was Duke. This year, for the first time in two years, the Cavaliers are entering the third round and still going strong. After defeating Liberty 4-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Cavaliers came back two days later and put Tennessee away 3-0.
"I think the team is peaking," Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. "I think we're getting better, and it's nice to see the kind of performance we had [Sunday] against a very good team."
For the team's three seniors though, the opportunity this year holds a special significance. For Noelle Keselica, Kelly Hammond and Sarah Huffman, the last four years have been almost completely dedicated to the team. For them, this is the last chance they have to be in the Final Four.
"If you look at our program over the last four years, the reason we're where we are is because of [the seniors] and the kind of heart they bring and the kind of leadership they bring," Swanson said. "They don't need to have goals and assists -- they just want to win. They care more about the team."
And while the fact that this is their last chance to get to the Final Four will certainly be a motivating factor for them, it may be motivation for their teammates as well.
"We all have white bands we wear," Foley said. "You know, pieces of tape, and I write 'seniors' on mine, because they're a very important part of the team."
One of the biggest challenges coming from Sunday's game, though, is going to be a lack of knowledge aout the opponent. Virginia hasn't played Cal State Fullerton in the time Swanson has been at Virginia. The only other time this season this has happened is when the Cavaliers played Boston College, a game they lost 1-0. In that respect though, the Cavaliers may an advantage.
"I'm from California, so I have club teammates on [the Fullerton team]," Foley said. "I know a lot of people."
While the Final Four may be on the Cavaliers' mind this Sunday, they know there is only one way to get there -- to win Sunday's game -- and the only way to do that is to concentrate fully on the game at hand.
"I think you have to be careful you don't look too forward," Swanson said. "You have to keep your focus on what you're doing and what you need to do well in order to keep moving on."
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