In their ACC season opener in front of a friendly crowd, the No. 16 Virginia women's soccer team suffered a heart-wrenching 1-0 loss to Clemson Saturday. With the victory, Clemson extended their dominance of the Cavaliers to six straight games and snapped Virginia's four-game winning streak. Tonight, Virginia (5-3-1) looks to spring back from the disappointing weekend match as it hosts in-state rival Richmond (4-2-1).
For Virginia and Richmond, this past Saturday went entirely different ways. While Virginia enters today's match with the bitter taste of defeat still fresh, the Spiders are reveling from a 3-0 shutout victory over George Washington in their Atlantic 10 conference opener.
The history between these two teams favors the Cavaliers, who, since the series began in 1998, have emerged victorious in three of the teams' four meetings. Last year, Virginia effectively adjusted to the Spiders' play with a 3-0 shutout on the road. Moreover, in their four years of competition, Virginia has notched 16 goals to Richmond's four. Richmond notched all four goals in their 2000 victory over Virginia at Kl
ckner Stadium, the last time the two teams met in Charlottesville. Virginia would like nothing better than to vindicate the loss.
"We've always been of the opinion that you're just preparing for the next game," Virginia Coach Steve Swanson said. "Too often in our season, which is a fairly short season, a lot of teams look too far ahead or get stuck in the past. This team has done a very good job of staying focused on the game at hand. I know we'll be ready tomorrow."
In preparing for the Spiders, Virginia must work to capitalize on its offensive opportunities. Swanson highlighted this problem area earlier in the season and his team appeared to have adjusted accordingly in recent games against George Mason, William & Mary and Temple. But Saturday's showing suggested a return to the ways of old. Despite outshooting the Tigers 16-9, Virginia failed to score in 90 minutes of play.
Virginia also continues to work with various on-field offensive configurations. A remarkably young team, Virginia boasts 10 freshmen and six sophomores on its roster. Swanson, continuously noting Virginia's depth as an important advantage, has displayed faith in his young players, offering them ample playing time. Although the Cavaliers' defensive line consists mainly of the same players game after game, the offensive arrangements often change. This partially reflects the team's depth. But it also hints at an offensive stagnancy that often emerges and an inability to find the perfect combination, a problem that has plagued Virginia in various games.
"We played a very good game from a defensive standpoint on Saturday," Swanson said. "The one thing we could work on is making better decisions in the box, and finding a rhythm better in the offensive half of the field."
Though no team should be overlooked, Richmond, a lesser evil compared with some of the Cavaliers' opponents this season, offers Virginia the opportunity to regroup and address areas that continue to hamper their success.
"We'd like to come back and play strong," sophomore defender Gillian Hatch said.
With upcoming weeks of stiff ACC competition, Virginia needs a victory over the Spiders to steady themselves after Saturday's loss. Swanson predicted that it would take some time for his young players to become familiar with collegiate competition and for his squad to effectively congregate into a single, solid unit. The season is half way over. The time is now.
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