After three straight losses in which the Cavaliers (6-5, 0-2 ACC) mustered just one goal while surrendering nine, it was the freshmen who provided the spark that lifted Virginia to a 3-0 victory over California yesterday evening. Freshmen Kaitlyn Hiltz and Jamie Mulhare each contributed a goal, while freshman goalkeeper Devon Burnley made 13 saves to put an end to Virginia's three-game slide.
"I think they were feeling a little pressure because we have almost a complete freshmen front-line," sophomore Lauren Elstein said. "We demand high expectations from them just like everybody else."
Burnley made six saves in the opening period, and with junior redshirt goalkeeper Amy Desjadon sidelined due to a concussion, Virginia coach Michele Madison stayed with Burnley in the second half rather than splitting time among the two, as she usually does. Burnley responded by making seven more saves in the second period to preserve the victory.
"She was ready for the shot, her eye was on the ball," Madison said. "She came up with those saves she should and then some extras on top of it."
The Bears (7-2) got the better of the attack for most of the first half, out-shooting the Cavaliers 8-3 and earning eight corners to the Cavaliers' one. Led by Burnley and company, however, the Cavaliers were able to keep the Bears' shooting barrage from causing any harm.
"California really smashed our zone the first half," Madison said. "They just blasted right through, and we didn't make the adjustment until halftime."
In the 23rd minute, Virginia capitalized on just its second shot of the game. Hiltz emerged out of a scrum in the middle of the circle and placed a rolling shot neatly into the lower right corner of the boards to give the Cavaliers the early lead. After being shut out each of the last two games, finding the net on just their second shot was a welcome confidence boost to the Cavaliers' offense.
"It's October, and we were just like, 'Girls, we've just got to move on, let's try and get off the fence and climb the mountain together,'" Madison said. "They did it today."
The 28th minute saw the Bears' best opportunity of the match. With a Bear forward closing in on Burnley on a breakaway, freshman Shelly Edmonds came out of nowhere to stuff the attacker and send the ball out of danger just a few yards away from the goal.
"If the girl is too fast and we can't get in front of her, you channel her into another defender who steps up and tackles," Elstein said. "[Edmonds] does a great job of stepping up."
As the second half got underway, the Cavaliers took control of the game both statistically and on the scoreboard, taking all of the first four shots and securing the first two short corners. In the 38th minute, Hiltz sent in a ball from just inside the circle that passed through the legs of one defender before finding the stick of Mulhare in front of the net. Mulhare turned and whipped a shot past the helpless Bear goalkeeper, adding insurance to the Cavalier lead.
With time winding down, Virginia capped off the game as junior Sara Confer tipped in a Hiltz shot as time expired.
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