The Virginia field hockey team will head to the NCAA Championships for the second straight year under the direction of coach Michele Madison. The Cavaliers, who have garnered an 11-9 overall, learned Tuesday that they will play Penn State in the opening round of the tournament. The Nittany Lions are 13-7 on the season -- one of those wins coming against Virginia Aug. 26 when PSU won 3-1.
The Cavaliers, however, are ready for revenge after a good showing in the ACC Tournament where Virginia upset Boston College 3-2 in overtime. No. 1 UNC ended Virginia's run in the following game. After waiting a couple days to see if they would receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Cavaliers were pleasantly surprised to learn that their season has been extended -- for at least another game.
Despite a 9-19 overall in NCAA Tournament play, Virginia will hope history repeats itself when they square off against the Nittany Lions Nov. 10: Virginia downed Penn State 4-2 in 1997 to advance to the semifinals -- the first time in school history Virginia has advanced that far in the NCAA Tournament.
Virginia's game is slated for 2 p.m. Saturday in College Park, Md.
Complete NCAA Tournament match-ups:
Chapel Hill, N.C.
No. 1 UNC vs. Stanford
James Madison vs. Duke
Storrs, Conn.
No. 4 Connecticut vs. Massachusetts
Iowa vs. Boston University
Ann Arbor, Mich.
No. 3 Wake Forest vs. Michigan State
Michigan vs. Ohio
College Park, Md.
No 2. Maryland vs. Old Dominion
Penn State vs. Virginia
Long named finalist for Lombardi Award
Senior defensive end Chris Long has been named one of four finalists for the 2007 Rotary Lombardi Award. On the season, Long averages 6.5 tackles per game, has 18 tackles for a loss, leads the ACC with 12 sacks and has blocked or intercepted a total of eight passes. The senior standout is in good company -- LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis and Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long all join the senior from Ivy, Va. as finalists.
The award goes to the lineman or linebacker who not only shows excellence on the football field, but also exemplifies the focus and determination of former football coach Vince Lombardi.
Long's three most noteworthy plays of the season include:
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