The Cavaliers can't seem to get the monkey off of their backs. Sunday's loss to UNC marked the 31st-consecutive game in which the Cavs have failed to defeat the Tar Heels. Despite continued disappointment against a conference foe, however, the team is keeping a positive outlook heading in to the NCAA tournament.
"I think it's hard losing to them," senior midfielder Noelle Keselica said. "Hopefully we'll learn something from this game and take it into the tournament."
One thing that Keselica and the rest of the Cavaliers can take away from this game is the importance of slowing down UNC's frontline. After the game, both the coach and players were quick to point out that the inexperience of the Cavalier backline led to more opportunities for the Tar Heel offense.
"We have a very young backline," coach Steve Swanson said. "When we won [the ACC Tournament] last year, we had a very experienced backline. What's tough is Carolina has such pace up top. You really have to be on the same page. They do a good job of playing quickly and making good penetrating runs."
The skill of the Carolina offense translated into more opportunities, as it out shot the Cavaliers 14-2. The experience of the Tar Heel offense, combined with the stinginess of its defense, made for a long day for the Cavaliers.
"North Carolina has a strong defense," Swanson said. "They make it very difficult to play. I think that's one of the strengths of their team. It's very hard to get momentum against them."
The Cavaliers, however, now have to shift their focus to the future as they gear up for the NCAA Tournament. Throughout the season, Swanson has been required to tweak the starting lineup on a nightly basis and said he expects that this added experience on the bench will give the Cavs an advantage in the upcoming stretch of games.
"Our team has done a good job all year," Swanson said. "I think this year really put us in a good position for a run in the NCAAs. We feel comfortable. Our kids are getting a lot of good experience."
The Cavaliers will look to go deep into the Tournament, a feat they failed to achieve last year after a second-round loss to Duke. If they manage to make such a run, then they will most likely cross paths with the Tar Heels yet again.
If such a scenario plays out, Swanson said he will make sure the Cavs are fully prepared for the Tar Heels and their aggressive frontline.
"We won a[n] [ACC] championship last year," Swanson said. "Our team is good enough to win championships. We are not going to settle for anything less."
The Cavaliers will head into the Tournament with depth, experience and perhaps a chip on their shoulders after a tough loss in the ACC Championship. The NCAA Tournament presents another opportunity for Virginia to make a statement.
"Hopefully, all of the experience we gained is going to help us in the tournament," Swanson said. "I really think it will."
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