Even before the Virginia field hockey team took the field against No. 3 North Carolina yesterday, the weight of the game was evident. During the national anthem, the Cavaliers prepared for the task before them, swinging their arms restlessly and stretching their muscles. After the starters set up on the University Hall Turf Field, the players at the bench remained standing, a position they would keep for the entire game.
The level of play between the two teams was closer than the score indicated, but the No. 10 Cavs nevertheless fell to the Tar Heels 3-0.
Throughout the game, the Cavs (9-5, 0-2 ACC) and Heels (15-1, 3-0) showcased aggressive pressure and strong ball movement. In the end, however, the talent and skill of the third-ranked Tar Heels proved too much for the Cavs.
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The game remained scoreless until the final two minutes of the first half, when UNC leading scorer Kristen McCann sent a loose ball past Virginia goalkeeper Becky Worthington, who finished the day with seven saves.
McCann, who has 22 goals this season compared to the 35 the Cavaliers have scored as a team, maintained her domination in the second half. Five minutes after halftime, the senior forward put the second Heel goal into the cage's upper right corner.
The final goal of the game came with just under seven minutes to play, when UNC midfielder Jana Toepel put home a penalty corner.
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"Their forwards are very dangerous," Virginia coach Jessica Wilk conceded after the game. "They did a nice job of executing when they were down there."
Execution proved to be a failing point for the Cavaliers. After what Wilk described as a "pretty solid first half," Virginia fell behind 2-0 on McCann's second goal but then began to control possession. But despite the Cavs' seven shots on goal and five penalty corners in the second half (as opposed to two shots and one corner in the first half), the Cavaliers were unable to put points on the scoreboard.
"We really need to be able to finish," Wilk said. "I thought we had opportunities. We just didn't finish."
Said senior forward Lorraine Vizzuso: "If one [shot] could've fallen, it would have been a different game."
Though disappointed by the loss, Wilk and Vizzuso recognized positive aspects of the game. Both agreed that yesterday's game demonstrated an improvement since the Cavs' 3-1 loss at UNC Sept. 17. Wilk also highlighted the team's passing game and defense.
"It was a good loss for us," Vizzuso added. "We improved tenfold on our game from last month. I think this is probably the best game we've played against a top-five team in a while. Though it's not really good to lose, we're going in the right direction"
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