It has been exactly seven days since the No. 5-ranked Virginia women's lacrosse team has taken the field to face an opponent.This marks the longest stretch without a game the squad has had since the time between their first and second games. Tonight, the Cavaliers will look to better their 10-2 (2-2 ACC) record against No. 9 Georgetown.
"It helps us take a step back and catch up on a little bit of rest and a little bit of the work that was maybe slipping a bit," coach Julie Myers said.
The break has certainly been beneficial for the team, as the Cavaliers have been able not only to get in extra preparation for the game but also take some time to reflect on their season and what is waiting for them in the future. Before the start of the ACC and NCAA championships, the Cavaliers still have to play three away games at Johns Hopkins, George Mason and Boston College.
"So far this season we've kind of had games three or four days apart, so we haven't had the time we wanted to get ready for certain teams, and playing against Georgetown is a big game for us," senior attacker Kaitlin Swagart said. "Having a long break to get ready for this team is important to us."
Virginia leads the all-time series against Georgetown with a record of 6-1 -- the only loss occurred during the 2005 season.
The Cavaliers will have to come out sharp against the Hoyas, whose 7-4 record is much more deceiving than it appears. Three of their four losses were against the top three teams in the ACC (Maryland, North Carolina and Duke), not only illustrating how strong a conference Virginia is in but also how Georgetown will be seeking revenge on the ACC in tonight's game.
Georgetown also averages almost 32 shots per game, as well as nearly 11 goals per game.
"Their offense is very good and their ability to win draw controls is exceptional," Myers said. "What we need to do is figure out some different draw options so we can try to come up with some of those draw controls, and then we have some offensive sets we need to get our defense ready for. We need to make sure that we know where our defensive slides are coming from and how we can be most effective."
Nonetheless, one thing the Cavaliers do have going for them is the energy that will be brought to the field, given that this will be the team's last home game of the season. Emotions will be riding high and each player will give it her all so seniors can walk away with a final home victory in hand.
"As a senior, it's kind of sad," Swagart said. "It's always tough realizing it's going to be your last regular season home game, not only because from a senior's perspective it's your last home game, but it's just tough when you're on the road constantly."
Game time begins at 7:00 p.m. at Klöckner Field.
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