The Virginia field hockey team has been pretty successful so far this season, with a No. 9 national ranking and a 14-7 record. And just last week, the Cavaliers made a run all the way to the finals of the ACC Tournament before falling to No. 2 Maryland.
But there is still one big task at hand: the NCAA Tournament.
"We've been moving in the right direction from start to finish this year," Cav coach Jessica Wilk said. "We've been building and getting better as the season has progressed. Now we're looking to build on last week's performance in the ACC Tournament."
Postseason play continues for Virginia this weekend, when the team travels to Norfolk to play in the NCAA first round. The Cavaliers take on No. 10 Connecticut (16-6) on Old Dominion's Foreman Field at 2 p.m. tomorrow.
The Cavs hope to make a deeper run into the Tournament than they did last year, when they were ousted in the first round. But that will be no easy task against this year's field, which, with the exceptions of Stanford (13-10) and No. 20 New Hampshire (14-7), is comprised of teams ranked in the national top 16.
"It's a very strong field this year," NCAA Division I Field Hockey Committee chair Colleen Lim said. "The teams selected will make a very good tournament. All of the first-round games are going to be great contests. Anyone in the field has a chance to become this year's national champion."
Virginia is also in the same bracket as top-ranked Old Dominion (21-1). The Monarchs have knocked the Cavaliers out of the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three years and are 7-0 all-time against the Cavs at NCAAs. But before they start thinking about Old Dominion, the Cavaliers must first focus on the Huskies.
"We're just really concentrating on Connecticut right now," Wilk said. "The NCAA Tournament is a one-shot deal, and the minute you look ahead, you'll be out of it."
Connecticut is coming off shutout wins over No. 17 Syracuse and Providence that gave the team its fifth Big East title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. This is the Huskies' fifth consecutive trip to NCAAs, where last year they fought all the way to the Final Four before losing to Michigan.
"They're a very good team," Wilk said. "We know a fair amount about them, but of course we don't know them as well as teams in the ACC. It's nice to be playing against someone different."
The Huskies won the two schools' only prior meeting, the 1981 season opener.
This is Virginia's sixth consecutive bid to the NCAA Tournament, extending the longest streak in school history. This is also the 11th NCAA bid for the Cavaliers, who have a record of 5-10 all-time in the championships.
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