The No. 15 Virginia women’s lacrosse team was able to find a huge ACC win against a renowned Louisville team Saturday — outscoring the Cardinals, 11-7.
After a big win against a talented Navy team, the Cavaliers (9-7, 3-3 ACC) looked to even out their ACC record as they faced off against a solid Louisville (10-6, 2-4 ACC) team. The Cardinals tested the Cavalier defense’s ability to protect the net against capable attackers.
Virginia entered the first half struggling to answer for two early goals scored by the Cardinals.
Senior attacker Besser Dyson eventually put the Cavaliers on board with a goal assisted by sophomore midfielder Maggie Jackson.
Virginia went on to exchange goals with Louisville for the the rest of the first half. However, the team was unable to make key stops and trailed by one at the half.
“I think defensively, we struggled a little in the first half with their top players, and we had a hard time finding the ball,” junior keeper Rachel Vander Kolk said. “It was something we fixed at halftime. We knew that if we wanted to beat a top team like Louisville, we would need to pick it up defensively.”
The Virginia defense put pressure on Louisville on all sides of the field — forcing 20 turnovers and recovering 22 ground balls. Vander Kolk also made key saves that helped shift the momentum of the game.
“I think our defense really stepped up,” Coach Julie Myers said. “Rachel made just enough saves at the right time too. We held them for most of their possession clock and had it expire a couple of times. Making those stops creates good energy and emotion, and we play off of that.”
The monumental defensive efforts of the the Virginia defense coming together and playing as a team resulted in them holding Louisville to a tie for its lowest score of their season — allowing just one goal throughout the entirety of the second half.
“I’m very proud of the defense … To hold a team like Louisville to one goal in the second half says a lot,” Myers said.
Of course, Virginia would need to overcome its one-point deficit from the first half — finding the back of the net on six occasions in the second half. Leading Virginia on offense was sophomore midfielder Maggie Jackson, who tallied three goals against the Cardinals.
“We knew we could win — we knew we were the better team and so it was just making shots,” Jackson said. “We had more opportunities than they did, and we were turning the ball over, so it was just making shots and finishing the play.”
Virginia, who was able to dominate both sides of the field in the second half, still struggled with inside passes and getting good looks to score. Although the Cavaliers were only able to shoot 29 percent from the field and were 1-10 in free-position shots, the offense was able to create more opportunities than that of Louisville.
Many of those opportunities to score or to limit the Cardinals were created at midfield. Louisville was just 19-24 in clears throughout the game, and was forced into long possessions by a very stingy Cavalier defense that was able to punish mistakes with a quick fast-break game.
“This is one of our best midfields that we’ve had in years and years, and they love to turn it on in transition,” Myers said. “They catch their rest while we get into attack. More often than not, we are the faster team with middies and what I like is that they use their speed.”
Saturday’s big win against the Cardinals was exactly what the Cavaliers needed as the regular season draws to a close.
“This is a huge win for us,” Myers said. “You’re here at home, and coming down the stretch, you want to go into ACC’s hot. For me, I looked at this game as a must-win.”
Virginia will look to end its regular season on a high note as it faces off against in-state rival Virginia Tech next Saturday at home.
Read More
No. 6 women’s lacrosse gets revenge on No. 14 North Carolina
By Matthew Ryeom | 7 hours agoThe Cavaliers' big third quarter propelled them to a key victory over the Tar Heels.
Virginia softball drops road rematch against Virginia Tech
By Emory Huffman | 17 hours agoAs Virginia moves through the final week of the regular season, it is certainly critical that its pitching staff maintains the same dominance they have shown throughout the season.
Haunted by 2023 defeat, Virginia gets Notre Dame rematch
By Michael Liebermann | YesterdayAgainst a bitter rival, Virginia has an opportunity to forge a victorious new chapter in lacrosse history.
