The Virginia women's soccer team is excited. Junior defender Becky Sauerbrunn's face lit up during her interview. It dimmed only for a second as she thought something over.
"I don't think we've ever played Rhode Island," she said hesitantly.
Then her face brightened.
"But we hear that they're a good team," she said. "So we're excited, really excited to play on Klöckner."
Friday's game at Klöckner Stadium marks the beginning of the women's soccer regular season of play. Senior midfielder Kelly Hammond stressed the team's desire to begin the regular season.
"I think we're excited," Hammond said. "It's been a long preseason. I think we're ready to finally get out there and get up on Klöckner and play a real game."
But this does not mean there aren't going to be challenges. The opening of the season also marks the opening of what will be a very difficult schedule for the Cavaliers, in particular throughout the next week. Their first three games are spaced two and three days apart. Following the Aug. 31 game against James Madison, Virginia's schedule settles down into regular four-day intervals.
"We've got a tough test in that we've got a difficult schedule," coach Steve Swanson said. "We play these first three games within five or six days."
Then there is the uncertainty. With the entire back line graduated and almost a third of the team new, many question how well the new contributors will perform early in the season. Considering the fact that Virginia won the ACC Tournament last year, expectations for this year's team are high. This is a new season, year and team with major questions still hovering.
In addition, Virginia's preseason certainly hasn't gone according to plan. The Cavaliers have lost both preseason matches, one against defending champions No. 1 Notre Dame and another against Michigan.
"I think, from top to bottom, we're more athletic [than last season]," Swanson said. "I think we're going to do some things a little differently based on the fact that we've got more depth and we're more athletic."
The increased depth is another advantage Virginia has this year. Since the back line departed, Virginia has more defenders it could potentially play in those newly-opened positions.
This potential is really where the core of the Cavaliers' excitement comes from.
The influx of new Cavaliers brings a nervous energy. They are young -- but they have potential, potential which Swanson believes in wholeheartedly.
"Our goal is to try to be better [thank last year]," Swanson said. "I think we can do that, I think we have that kind of talent."
And that is very much something to be excited about.
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