Virginia loses heartbreaker in ACC title game

The No. 3 Virginia women’s field hockey fell 3-2 in overtime against No. 1 Maryland in the championship game of the ACC Tournament yesterday afternoon. Not only did the loss deprive the Cavaliers of the title, but of tying the program’s record for most wins in a season as well.

Maryland (20-0, 5-0 ACC) walked away from Turf Field with its second consecutive ACC Championship and eighth overall in school history.

“It was a great effort by both teams. I don’t think you could ask for anything more in a championship game,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “Maryland just squeaked it out at the end in overtime.”

Less than two minutes into overtime, the Terrapins earned a corner and freshman midfielder Meghan Frazer snaked the ball into the cage past junior goalkeeper Kim Katsuk for the win.

But it was not clear from the start that this would be how the game would end, as the Cavaliers staked an early lead. The home squad (18-3, 3-2 ACC) excelled at cutting into the circle during the first half, tallying four corners in the opening period. Fourteen minutes into the game, freshman back Charlotte van den Broek converted her second career goal as she tipped the ball in from the left post off an assist from sophomore midfielder Inga Stöckel on a penalty corner.

The Cavalier offense retained control for most of the first half and extended the lead after capitalizing on a corner again.

Virginia’s second score was netted by freshman midfielder Tara Puffenberger on another tip-in, this time from the right post, off an assist from sophomore midfielder Michelle Vittese. The 2-0 deficit for the Terrapins at halftime was largest they had faced all year.

It was not as if the Maryland offense lacked opportunities to get on the board during the first half, however. Led by 2008 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, junior forward Katie O’Donnell, the Terrapins took 10 shots, one more than Virginia.

“It’s hard not to get excited, but you come back and it’s 0-0 for another 35 minutes,” Madison said. “There is no way a team as good as Maryland is going to lay down and die, and we knew that, so we had to muster it up and dig deep and play better than we did in the first half.”

But the Cavaliers came out of the locker room with a more conservative and tentative approach. The Terrapins, on the other hand, came out of halftime re-energized, constantly pushing the ball into the circle. Following a timeout early in the second half, O’Donnell dribbled down the end line and shot the ball past Katsuk to cut the lead to one. The goal proved to be a turning point, as it injected life into the Terrapins and visibly eroded Virginia’s confidence.

Not even two minutes later, Maryland senior forward Nicole Muracco scored an ACC-leading 27th goal of the season, assisted by senior midfielder Alexis Pappas, to knot the score at two apiece.

“I think we let up a little bit, which is something we need to work on,” sophomore midfielder Rachel Jennings said. “Obviously when you are up 2-0 against a team as good as Maryland, you are excited. We got too comfortable with the lead.”

During that two-minute stretch, the Terrapins played at a championship level and demonstrated why they have been the nation’s top-ranked team all season.

Maryland’s goals gave the team momentum that the Cavaliers failed to regain. As regulation wound down, the Cavaliers appeared tired and did not mount any substantial attack at taking back the lead. The Virginia offense remained stagnant for most of the second half, only managing two shots to Maryland’s 12. The Cavaliers also failed to capitalize on one final spark after securing a penalty corner shot.

“You dream of moments like that to have no time on the clock and have a corner and an opportunity like that,” Jennings said.

Virginia’s deflated level of play continued into overtime, despite starting the period with the ball. Maryland quickly scored to finish the game 3-2 and take home the conference title. It was the ninth time an ACC field hockey title has been settled in overtime.

After the loss, Maryland remains the only ACC team that Virginia coach Michele Madison has yet to defeat in her collegiate coaching career. Virginia sophomore midfielders Paige Selenski and Inga Stöckel and freshman back Charlotte van den Broek were named to the all-tournament team. Seeds for the NCAA Tournament will be announced this week and first round play will begin next weekend.