No. 3 Virginia field hockey traveled down to Durham, N.C. Friday to face No. 9 Duke for their first in-conference road game of the season. The undefeated Cavaliers (8-0, 3-0 ACC) won a defensive showdown to closely eke past the Blue Devils (4-4, 0-1 ACC) in a 1-0 victory.
The game commenced in the usual Virginia fashion — with the Cavaliers taking immediate control of the ball and using aggressive offense to rattle their opponents. Just 42 seconds into the game, senior back Jans Croon took a hard shot on goal which ricocheted back to her off of a Duke defender's stick. With the ball back in her possession, Croon once again hit the ball straight towards the goal — but this time the Blue Devils' graduate goalkeeper Frederique Wollaert was able to block it.
The two teams continued to keep one another on their toes. While the Cavaliers kept Duke away from their side of the field altogether for a while, the Blue Devils were able to conversely thwart each of Virginia's attempts to get a number on the scoreboard.
Each and every time the Cavaliers thought they had an opportunity to make a clean series of passes, a Duke player jumped in to steal the ball right out of their hands. Neither team could keep strong, consistent control over the ball, the first clear sign that this was going to be a tough fight on both sides.
Over the course of the first period Virginia took three more shots on goal, two of which Croon shot, but were unsuccessful each time. Despite their best offensive efforts, the first period ended scoreless.
Even with the flash flood warning and a consistent drizzle, the players were focusing on nothing but getting on top over the course of the game. The Cavaliers faced Duke twice in the 2023 season and while they were able to claim a 2-1 victory in Durham, the Blue Devils got the best of Virginia by winning 2-1 in Charlottesville.
The Cavaliers entered the second period ready to fight as they attempted to push the ball forward and get as many shots on goal as possible. However, Duke fought them hard.
The first two minutes of the period were composed of continuous tussles for the ball around the midfield line. Both teams' defenses were sharp, ready to pounce at a moment's notice, and their offenses were doing whatever they could to keep control of the ball for long enough to bring it to their opponent's goal.
An extremely well-matched game, Virginia was finally able to break through as sophomore midfielder Mia Abello took the ball and ran it straight towards Wollaert — who was once again able to narrowly save the shot.
The Blue Devils succeeded in penetrating the Cavalier defense halfway through the second period. Highlighted by beautiful stickwork and communication, Duke was able to bring the ball dangerously close to Virginia’s goal.
At a critical juncture, the Blue Devils were awarded a penalty corner — during which they were able to take two close shots. Neither shot went in, but the offensive surge was a sign to the Cavaliers that the rest of the game would be a gritty fight.
The two teams continued to battle it out, with junior midfielder Daniele Mendez-Trendler standing out as a force to be reckoned with. She consistently pushed both the ball forward and put pressure on the opposing defense, making it hard for Duke to make much progress. Once again, the score was 0-0 headed into halftime.
As the third period began, it seemed as though this matchup would play out similarly to how eight of the past eleven games between Virginia and Duke have — narrowly won by a one-goal margin. It was unclear that either team was gaining any ground in finding the other's weaknesses, and therefore the back-and-forth began again.
However, this time the Cavaliers were able to keep better control of the ball — while they were unsuccessful in getting legitimate shots on goal, their confident stickwork hindered the Blue Devils from making their own move, an act that led the scoreboard to remain empty at the end of the third period.
As the fourth period began, tensions were high — the rivals were fighting tooth and nail without any gain, and the spectators waited with bated breath to see what would be accomplished in the last 15 minutes.
Just five minutes into the period, Abello made it clear that she was willing to do whatever it takes to get Virginia to the top in this matchup. With beautiful assists from senior back Emily Field and graduate midfielder Meghen Hengerer, Abello flung the ball into the back of the net to mark the first, and only, goal of the game.
After another brutal ten minutes, the buzzer sounded to officially declare the Cavaliers the victors in yet another one-point margin matchup. After missing the past two games, Abello made her presence felt with a landmark performance.
This game marks Virginia's 42nd win over their 65 matchups against Duke, but it did not come without an arduous battle. While Friday was not the most technically beautiful game the Cavaliers have played, it did shed light on the amount of determination and grit the team has — which is hopefully a good sign as they continue further into the season.
“We should have converted on corners earlier, but [we] found a way [to win the game] in the fourth quarter again,” Coach Ole Keusgen said. “We are executing set situations well under pressure right now to win games.”
Virginia will return home Sunday to host William & Mary. The contest will begin at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on ACCNX.
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