In only their second ACC match-up this season, the No. 5 Virginia women's lacrosse team will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to face No. 9 North Carolina on Saturday.
Virginia (5-2, 0-1 ACC) is coming off two major victories this past weekend against Princeton and Penn State, both in Charlottesville.
Knocking off then No. 2 Princeton last Sunday was a major win for the Cavaliers, who suffered two early season losses.
Virginia sophomore attacker Amy Appelt led the team in their victory against Princeton with three goals and four assists. After the game, she said the win was vital for the Cavaliers.
"Today was a big step in our game," she said.
Senior midfielder Lauren Aumiller said she believes that the team had come together both off and on the field after Sunday's game.
"I think it definitely took a big win like this" to bring the team together, Aumiller said.
Also contributing heavily in the Cavalier victories over the weekend were sophomore attacker Cary Chasney, who recorded a hat-trick against Princeton, and senior defender Courtney Muller who lead Virginia with five ground balls in the defeat of the Tigers.
Virginia now hits the road for the next two weeks after a three game home stay.
The Cavaliers will face the likes of UMBC, James Madison and Temple outside the confines of Klockner Stadium.
North Carolina is the first opponent on their four-game road trip.
The No. 9 Tar Heels (2-3, 0-2 ACC) faced New Hampshire on Wednesday in Chapel Hill, winning easily, 9-3.
North Carolina and Virginia both are winless in the ACC and tomorrow's bout will leave one team in the cellar of the ACC rankings.
With conference teams facing each other only once during the regular season, winning these ACC match-ups is crucial for the postseason, especially for determining seeding in the ACC and NCAA tournaments.
North Carolina lost to Duke and Maryland, ranked No. 2 and No. 4 respectively, this season while Virginia suffered its only ACC defeat at the hands the Terrapins.
Tensions will run high between the two squads, with a long rivalry existing between the Cavaliers and Tar Heels.
Last season, North Carolina faced Virginia in the second round of the NCAA tournament where the Tar Heels undercut the Cavaliers to advance further into the tourney.
This will be the first rematch for the two teams since that final game last season.
Since Sunday, Virginia has been out of action after battling Princeton. Cavalier coach Julie Myers said she appreciates the time to rest.
"We've come through seven games in 12 or 14 days," Myers said. "We need an academic day off where the kids can be normal for a day and then get back at it."
The duo of Appelt and Aumiller has been dominant as of late for the Cavaliers, with the pair contributing 19 goals and nine assists over the last three games. Both will have to be focused for Virginia to repeat its dazzling weekend display.
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