Nationally ranked Virginia will be trying to do something Sunday it hasn't had to do all year: Bounce back from two consecutive losses.
After falling to No. 2 North Carolina last weekend, the Cavaliers (5-3, 0-1 ACC) followed up their performance with a 1-0 loss to in-state rival Richmond Wednesday. The Spiders played solid defense, holding Virginia to only five shots while firing 14 of their own on junior goalkeeper Logan Carr.
"We need to work on staying competitive for a full 70 minutes," senior back Katie Jo Gerfen said. "We have spurts of good hockey but other times we're too lazy to play. That's not acceptable for Virginia hockey, and it's a sign of disrespect to our opponent."
This Sunday, the Cavaliers continue their difficult schedule when they face No. 7 Old Dominion. Also reeling from two successive losses, the Lady Monarchs come to Charlottesville trying to turn their season around, meeting a Virginia team trying to accomplish the same task.
As if ending a losing skid weren't enough motivation, last year Virginia traveled to Norfolk and was quickly sent packing after an 11-0 annihilation to the then-No. 4 Lady Monarchs. In that game, the Cavaliers were outshot 23-0 by a Lady Monarch squad that finished the season 21-4 with a loss in the national semifinals.
Old Dominion (4-4) faces another in-state school in James Madison (2-7) tomorrow before making the trek to Charlottesville for the showdown Sunday afternoon.
Following Old Dominion, the schedule gets no easier for the Cavaliers. Away games at No. 3 Maryland and No. 1 Wake Forest, coupled with a rematch against the second-ranked Tar Heels, should prove to be more than a warm-up for the tough post-season tournaments. Currently, the top four teams in the country all reside in the ACC, meaning the winner of the conference tourney should have a decided advantage heading into national play.
"We have the ability to be a very, very good team," Virginia coach Jessica Wilk said. "We're not always playing up to that ability. We have to tighten things up, and we have to play to our ability every game."
With the STX/NFHCA Field Hockey Division I poll due out next Tuesday, a win this weekend over a quality out-of-conference opponent should cement the Cavaliers' No. 12 spot in the rankings.
Coming off their first home loss of the year, playing a team that embarrassed them last season and attempting to end a season-high two-game losing streak are just a few of the factors playing into Virginia's matchup against the Lady Monarchs this weekend. Whatever their motivation, the Cavaliers will no doubt use their home-field advantage to try and steal a win from cross-state rival Old Dominion.
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