The No. 5 Virginia field hockey team narrowly edged No. 6 Boston College in Charlottesville Friday night. The game was locked at 0-0 until junior back Kelsey Leblanc scored a golden goal in double overtime.
“Every game gets more difficult now — when you’re in ACC play all the teams are really good,” coach Michele Madison said. “With Boston College it always goes down to the wire, and it did again today.”
Virginia (14-2, 2-2 ACC) outplayed Boston College (10-3, 1-2 ACC) for the majority of the contest, outshooting the Eagles 26-8 in the game, including a 10-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Most of the game was played near the Boston College net, but the Cavaliers were never able to break through.
“They played really well,” LeBlanc said of the Eagles. “I thought we kept our composure with their tackle backs, and we really stayed calm and were able to handle them well.”
This game is the first all season the Cavaliers have been held to no goals in regulation and only the third time they have scored just one goal total. Virginia had plenty of opportunities to score during the game, but the Boston College defense came through time and time again, aided by nine saves from Eagle goalkeeper Leah Settipane.
“They have a very good goalkeeper,” Madison said. “We struggled with them a lot because of their goaltending, and you really have to be composed to go around her. We just weren’t getting the tips we needed near the posts.”
The Cavaliers were awarded nine penalty corners in the game, compared to seven given to the Eagles. In the first overtime, the Cavaliers had two penalty corner opportunities, including one after time had expired in the period, but neither was successful. Finally, in the second overtime, the Cavaliers converted a corner for the first time in the game, sealing the victory.
“I was injecting the ball,” LeBlanc said on the game-winning play. “I injected it to [freshman midfielder Lucy Hyams], and she just swept it right in. It was a great sweep, and it might have already been going in, but I was there to make sure with the tip in.”
Hyams was credited with the assist on the goal — her seventh of the season, which is good for second best on the team.
Though the Cavalier offense failed to capitalize on opportunities, the Virginia defense kept the Cavaliers in the game with constant shutdown play. Junior goalkeeper Jenny Johnston recorded her ACC-best sixth shutout of the season, making three saves along the way.
“I think our defense had a great game,” LeBlanc said. “We stayed tight in the back and stayed really composed — with switching marks, we communicated a lot — overall we had a really strong performance in the backfield.”
Virginia plays again Sunday at 1 p.m. against William & Mary, where the team will hold its second annual Ovarian and Breast Cancer Awareness Day.
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