After their 9-0 winning streak was snapped Friday against No. 10 Boston College, No. 3 field hockey returned home Sunday to face off against No. 16 Louisville. The Cardinals (5-7, 1-3 ACC) came to Charlottesville with hope of snapping a three-game skid, while the Cavaliers (10-1, 4-1 ACC) were hoping for a strong return to form after Friday’s loss. Unfortunately for Louisville, it was Virginia who fulfilled their dreams of a comeback victory — earning the win in a brutal 1-0 defensive battle after three scoreless quarters.
“First half, we got all our momentum from the defense,” Coach Ole Keusgen said. “In the second half, we got our game together and played a bit more risk and force moving forward, so that helped us but it is our defense that keeps us in games.”
At the heart of that defense is senior goalkeeper Tyler Kennedy, who picked up the 11th shutout of her career. After the loss to the Eagles ended with a walk-off goal, Kennedy stepped up Sunday to the tune of three saves and a perfectly clean game.
Kennedy was pressured early in the game though, as the Cardinals earned a corner opportunity less than two minutes into the opening quarter. Fortunately, their resulting shot by fifth year midfielder Aimee Plumb was rejected by Kennedy.
Through the first quarter, the Cavaliers were slow to get momentum on the offensive side of the ball. However, Virginia did manage to get two shots off around the six-minute mark. Sophomore striker Emily Watchilla and junior midfielder Sloan Davidson both fired at the Louisville goal — but sophomore goalkeeper Emily Young was able to quell the Cavalier offense on both occasions. Though unsuccessful, the shots served as signs of life for a Virginia offense that struggled to maintain possession through the first quarter.
The second quarter, much like the first, ended in a scoreless tie. A shot by junior midfielder Daniela Mendez-Trendler was blocked by Young, and the rest of the second quarter became a gritty duel to win the possession battle and create any sense of offense. While still knotted at 0-0, the Cavaliers gradually began to take control of the game by keeping the ball away from the Cardinals.
After a scoreless half, the pressure was on both teams to make a move offensively. A little over five minutes into the third quarter, sophomore midfielder Mia Abello made her presence known — firing a shot that flew right over the net.
20 seconds later, Louisville earned three consecutive corners, but none got past Kennedy. On the other hand, it was obvious that Virginia’s offense started to come alive through the third quarter. Yet once again, the quarter finished scoreless as neither team could quite find their way into the back of the net.
Going into the fourth quarter in a scoreless bout, Virginia started to play more aggressively. The Cavaliers were then rewarded for that adjustment — as they were rewarded with a goal courtesy of senior striker Taryn Tkachuk with a tip of the cap to graduate midfielder Suze Leemans for an assist.
Although the rest of the game remained scoreless, it was obvious that the Cavaliers were in complete control. Their newfound confidence was critical, and the team never wavered despite briefly playing down a player due to a yellow card on senior midfielder Noa Boterman.
Out of desperation, the Cardinals played the last three minutes with an empty net, hoping to find offensive success by removing their goalkeeper in favor of another offensive weapon. It was no use though, and cheers from the home crowd erupted in the final minute as Virginia claimed a 1-0 victory.
The win was a much needed comeback for a Cavalier squad with big aspirations of an ACC title run — or even a coveted national championship. However, in order to remain contenders as they face several ranked opponents through the rest of the regular season, the team must find more offensive consistency.
Virginia certainly has its fair share of playmakers — as evidenced by goal-frenzied beatdowns of Stanford and William & Mary — but whether or not it can play confidently against tougher opponents will make all the difference as the season progresses.
After their bye week, the Cavaliers return home for a non-conference matchup against No. 7 Saint Joseph’s Sunday. Keusgen’s squad will benefit from extra rest as they compete in a highly ranked matchup, where victory could propel them further up the rankings as they prepare for the rest of the regular season.
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