This season has been quite a ride for the seniors on Debbie Ryan's team, but they ended the regular season roller coaster ride with a win last night.
Ryan's starting lineup consisted of five seniors: Katie Tracy, Chalois Lias, Elena Kravchenko, Svetlana Volnaya and Dean'na Mitchelson, an unusual lineup that held its own against a strong Florida State opening.
Tracy, a two-sport athlete, played at the Cavaliers' problem spot - point guard - and brought maturity to a position otherwise filled by freshmen Anna Prillaman and Chelsea Whitaker. Before last night's game, Tracy averaged 11.8 minutes per game and shot 42.3 percent from the field.
But Tracy's future is with another sport. After serving as co-captain for the Virginia women's soccer team, the New York Power picked Tracy with the fifth overall pick in the Women's United Soccer Association draft.
After she attends preseason camp with the Power, the team will decide whether to offer her a contract. Either way, Tracy will have her options open: She was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
Chalois Lias started the season strong by recording Virginia's first double-double against George Washington on Nov. 12 with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Lias helped Virginia on the boards, and is ranked fourth on the team with 3.3 rebounds per game.
Elena Kravchenko, from Minsk, Belarus, has the distinction of being the tallest woman ever to play for Virginia. She was Virginia's lone bright spot in their loss to Georgia Tech on Feb. 8., when she posted a career-high five blocks, four points, four rebounds and two assists.
Kravchenko played on the Belarus national team for the past three summers with Svetlana Volnaya.
Volnaya began this season as one of the "Big Three" players set to lead the Cavaliers. She is an All-ACC candidate, team captain and ranks second behind sophomore Schuye LaRue in shooting.
Volnaya became the 19th Cavalier woman to score 1,000 career points against Duke last Thursday. She was especially effective outside the arc, with a career-high six treys and 27 points total in the Cavaliers road victory over Maryland on Feb. 5.
Dean'na Mitchelson, the third team captain, had six points, three rebounds and an assist with a powerful presence under the basket last night. This season, she overcame a high ankle sprain that sidelined her for two games.
Mitchelson credits the emotional advantage of playing in Charlottesville, where she grew up and where much of her extended family still lives, as one of the keys to her success.
This game was emotionally important for the Cavaliers, who will face the Seminoles again at the ACC Tournament this weekend.
"I can't predict with this team," Ryan said, "but we've not let things get us down."
The players seem confident that the tournament will give them a chance to step up from behind their cloud of inconsistency this season.
"We knew we were going to win this game," Mitchelson said. "It's Florida State. We owe them one."
Perhaps the victory was twice as emotional for the women calling it their last.
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