Virginia returned to Klöckner Stadium Tuesday evening with a renewed sense of urgency, defeating High Point 17-8. The No. 12 Cavaliers (2-1, 0-0 ACC) sought to redeem themselves after Saturday's hard defeat to Richmond — and while the Panthers (2-2, 0-0 Big South) showed flashes of resistance, Virginia's offensive firepower ultimately proved too much to handle.
A lively Klöckner Stadium crowd fueled the Cavaliers’ energy from the opening whistle. Despite the recent loss, fans packed the stands, eager to see Virginia rebound — and their enthusiasm was palpable as every goal, defensive stand, and forced turnover sent waves of cheers and stomping echoing through the chilly night. The team used the crowd's energy to reinforce the intensity they brought to the game.
Coach Lars Tiffany emphasized the importance of being able to bounce back after the Richmond upset.
“Saturday's effort will haunt me for a long time,” Tiffany said. “So this was really, really important to see how we picked ourselves back up off the canvas. And the energy was there, the effort was there.”
The Cavaliers’ offense wasted no time in asserting itself, with junior attackman Ryan Colsey leading the charge. Colsey, who finished the game with six goals and three assists, highlighted the attack unit's commitment to creating extra opportunities.
“We take a lot of pride in creating turnovers,” Colsey said. “And we feel like every time we get a save or a shot goes out of bounds, and it’s the other team's ball, we feel like we're gonna get it back and just create more possessions for ourselves.”
Virginia's aggressiveness paid dividends, consistently disrupting High Point's clear attempts and forcing 23 turnovers.
Despite being favored to win, Virginia did face moments of trouble. High Point capitalized on Virginia’s early defensive miscues to keep the game from getting completely out of hand in the first quarter, which ended 6-2. The Panthers’ attack, led by junior midfielder Collin Rovere, tested the Cavaliers’ defense with quick movements and precise shooting that eked past the Virginia goalies.
However, senior defender Ben Wayer anchored the Cavaliers’ defense, which tightened as the game progressed — limiting High Point to just four second-half goals. The Virginia coaching staff has continued to split playing time between junior goalkeeper Kyle Morris and senior goalkeeper Matthew Nunes, who saved five and two shots, respectively, while both allowing four goals.
The victory came during a pivotal time for the Cavaliers, as they find themselves outside the top 10 of the USILA poll for the first time since March 2020. Reclaiming the high national ranking they're used to will require another strong performance Saturday, when they travel to Columbus to face Ohio State.
The team seems to be fully aware of the fumble it made against Richmond, and it is working to ensure the letdown doesn’t get repeated.
“We know we didn't play well, just kind of in all facets of the game,” Colsey said. “So just kind of cleaning up all areas and just kind of getting back to ourselves and back to our identity as a team, just going back out there and playing with a little bit more confidence and just having a little bit more fun out there.”
Virginia will aim to build on this momentum as it continues deeper into the season. It will face its next three opponents on the road, not returning to play in Charlottesville until March 15. But in its final game before that grueling road trip, Virginia certainly sent itself off in positive fashion.
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