Full previews for football, men’s soccer and women’s soccer can be found online and in Thursday’s Cavalier Daily.
Field hockey
What: No. 5 Virginia (12-3, 3-2 ACC) vs. No. 14 Boston College (8-7, 0-5 ACC)
Where: U-Hall Turf Field
When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
The Skinny: Fifth-ranked Virginia field hockey closed out its four-game road trip in thrilling fashion last Sunday, defeating Delaware in overtime 3-2. This Sunday, the Cavaliers finally return home to play Boston College in both teams’ final conference game of the regular season.
It will be another competitive game for Virginia, as Boston College is a strong opponent. Coming off a 3-2 road victory the against the University of Massachusetts, the No. 14 Eagles are a battle-tested team who’ve had 11 of their 15 games decided by two goals or less. Boston College also fares strongly in road games, owning a 4-3 record away from home.
However, having played in four overtime games this season — in which they’ve recorded a 3-1 record — and coming off two straight road wins against top-15 teams, the Cavaliers are experienced with and ready to play in tough games against tough opponents. With standout defense from the team’s starting back trio of sophomore Becca Zamojcin and juniors Jeannie Blackwood and Emily Faught, as well as excellent play in goal from redshirt freshman Carrera Lucas and junior Rebecca Holden, Virginia has allowed only nine goals in its last five games.
With less than two weeks until the start of the ACC tournament, both teams are looking to keep building momentum going into the playoffs in what should be a good game of field hockey.
—compiled by Jack Gallagher
Volleyball
What: Virginia (13-6, 5-3 ACC) vs. Notre Dame (6-15, 1-8 ACC) and No. 24 Louisville (15-4, 9-0 ACC)
Where: Memorial Gymnasium
When: Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m.
The Skinny: The Virginia volleyball team — fresh off four-match road swing — matches up with Notre Dame and Louisville this weekend at Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers (13-6, 5-3 ACC) last competed at home Oct. 3-4, when they defeated Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech back-to-back.
The reeling Irish — losers of 10 of their past 11 matches — scored their most recent victory Oct. 9 against Clemson. In the two weeks since they’ve won just one set in four matches.
Sophomore outside hitter Sydney Kuhn — who has started every match for Notre Dame this season — ranks second on the team in both kills and digs and also leads the Irish in aces. She teams with fellow sophomore outside hitter Sam Fry — a preseason All-ACC honoree and Notre Dame’s leader in kills by a wide margin — up front.
Right now, Louisville — along with No. 18 Florida State — looks like possibly the best team in the ACC. The Cardinals last dropped a set Oct. 2 in a 3-1 win against Syracuse, and since then they’ve rolled in six consecutive matches, all against conference foes.
Seniors Erin Fairs and Katie George — both first-team All-ACC choices last season — have starred once more this year. Fairs — an outside hitter — ranks third in the conference and first on her team in kills per set, while starting setter George leads the ACC in assists per set. George’s 12.10 assists per set in 2015 ranks fourth nationally.
First serve against the Irish is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m., and Virginia and Louisville start up Saturday at the same time.
—compiled by Matthew Morris
Women’s golf
What: The Landfall Tradition
Where: Wilmington, N.C.
When: Friday-Sunday
The Skinny: Coming off its worst performance of the season, the Virginia women’s golf team will look to rebound this weekend in its fourth tournament of the year at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C.
After two strong showings to start the season — a third-place finish at the Cougar Classic and a fourth-place finish at the Mason Rudolph Championship — the No. 17 Cavaliers stumbled at the Tar Heel Invitational, failing to crack a top-five finish on any of the three days of the tournament.
The Cavaliers will look to get back on track this weekend and rise to the challenge against a strong group of schools, including defending tournament champion Wake Forest and three top-10 teams in No. 5 Duke, No. 7 Alabama and No. 10 Oklahoma State.
The Tar Heel Invitational will finish up the fall portion of Virginia’s schedule and will take place Friday through Sunday.
—compiled by Rahul Shah
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