The No. 15 Virginia women's soccer team earned a bid to the NCAA tournament for the 14th time Monday. The Cavaliers (14-3-2) will host the first two rounds of the tournament at Klockner Stadium on Friday and again Sunday. After going 7-2-1 at home this season, Virginia secured a bid and a home- field advantage for the regional rounds of the tournament.
"The more home wins that you get the better it is to get home bids for the NCAA tournament," explained senior co-captain Lori Lindsey.
"We are definitely excited about hosting," head coach Steve Swanson said to Virginia athletic media relations. "There's nothing like playing in front of the home crowd, let alone playing at home for an NCAA tournament game."
Friday's first-round matchups in this regional are Virginia versus Liberty and William & Mary versus Wake Forest. The winners will face each other on Sunday.
Virginia, led by the play of freshman Lindsay Gusick, has played and defeated each of these teams at home this season.
Gusick, who scored the game-winning goal in all of those games, totaled six goals between the three matches. She led Virginia with 13 goals on the year.
Although Virginia only has played one game against Liberty this season, Gusick's three goals and senior Tammy Westinghouse's three assists helped run up a 7-0 win. The Cavaliers have beaten Wake Forest in six out of eight all-time meetings, but Virginia has run even with William & Mary, 9-9-1.
The play of Virginia's goalkeepers has propelled Virginia to shutouts against all of the three teams it might face in the tournament's first two rounds. Anne Abernethy, Ashley Mowery and Jodi Clugston, split time for the shutouts.
Things look good for Virginia to win its first round game on Friday, but the Cavaliers might have a harder time with their possible second-round opponents.
Virginia is in the position of controlling its destiny in the regional round of NCAAs. If the goalkeepers can keep up their high level of play and Gusick continues to contribute the way she has this season, the home-field crowd will be pleased to watch its team win this weekend.
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