The Virginia field hockey team suffered its first home-turf defeat this season in a 4-3 overtime loss to No. 1 Maryland Saturday.
“It’s bittersweet,” coach Michele Madison said. “It’s good to know that we can perform against the No. 1 team in the country.”
The close match featured talent on both sides of the field. Virginia’s emerging star, freshman midfielder Paige Selenski, scored two goals to give her a team-high 13 on the season. Selenski — who is on her way to Mexico City to compete in the Junior Pan-American Games with the Junior National Team — currently ranks seventh all-time in goals and is tied for second all-time in assists. Opposite Selenski and the rest of the Cavaliers was Maryland’s one-two punch: senior back Susie Rowe and sophomore forward Katie O’Donnell. The Cavaliers were able to contain the duo for most of the game, holding them to one goal each.
“Katie is a great player,” Virginia sophomore forward Kaitlyn Hiltz said. “I knew it was going to be a tough game. I know that they were good girls and they fight to the end and I respect them and that is why I wanted to beat them.”
The Cavaliers were in control most of the game, leading at halftime and deep into the second half. Eighteen seconds after Maryland scored its first goal, the Cavaliers responded with a goal of their own by freshman back Floor Vogels. The Cavaliers were able to outshoot Maryland 15-10 but failed to capitalize on three straight corners in the second half.
“When you have a chance to win it, you have to do it, and we didn’t do it,” Madison said. “That was definitely a viable opportunity to take the game.”
The Terrapins made a gutsy move and pulled their goalie for four minutes in the middle of the second half to give them 11 field players. The gamble paid off, as Maryland scored and tied the game. The goal by the Terps took the game to overtime. The Cavaliers have had a lot of experience in overtime, playing five games in extra time with a 2-2 record in those games. The Cavaliers have also played one game decided in penalty strokes, a 3-2 loss to Boston University Sept. 28.
“I believe that our seven can beat any seven,” Hiltz said. “It sucks when every loss we’ve had has been in OT, but we have also come out with some wins in overtime.”
Senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon played her second full game of the season Saturday, her first being the win against BC. Despite the four goals Desjadon allowed, she had a solid performance. With a strong offense competing against a talented defense, something had to give. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the game did not swing in their favor. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers did not back down and proved they can play with the best in the country.
“This game meant a lot to us,” Hiltz said. “I think we showed today that we can compete with that caliber, and that is clearly our goal for this season and every season forward.”
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