When the first international soccer game was played in 1872 between England and Scotland, England played using a 1-2-7 formation (one defender, two midfielders and seven forwards) and Scotland played a 2-2-6. Since, then the sport has evolved a great deal. The 4-2-4, a formation made famous by the Brazilian National team, was developed much later to create a balanced attack on defense and offense. The more modern approach has been an increasing tendency toward flexibility - a trend evident in the Virginia women's soccer team's shift from a 4-4-2 to the more balanced 4-3-3 this season.\n"With three forwards, you always have more room to put more people on attack rather than two forwards," senior midfielder Jess Rostedt said. "But then with the 4-4-2 you have the outside wingers who can get in on the attack more. I feel like this year will be trying to figure out different formations. We'll be playing not just one like we usually do, but play multiple throughout the season."\nPersonnel considerations and a desire to put more pressure on goal contributed to the change. Last season's offense was lead principally by sophomore forward Lauren Alwine, who led the ACC with 14 assists and combined with junior forward Meghan Lenczyk for 17 goals. This season, though, the Cavaliers have a higher concentration of talent at the forward position.\nFreshman forward Caroline Miller has proved key to Virginia's frontline. While playing with Alwine and Lenczyk, Miller already has accrued a team-high 10 points.\nRostedt, ostensibly a midfielder, also has played on the front line in the first five games of the season.\n"There's a different mentality," Rostedt said. "All my life I've played forward. The mentality is you look to take people on, you look straight at goal. With midfield, it's more quick, switch point of attack, quick little 1-2 passes. You have that at forward, but at midfield you're more prone to distribute the ball more since you're not close to the goal like a forward would be."\nAs Rostedt moves to forward, junior Sinead Farrelly will lead the midfield. Farrelly rounds out the team's top-five point scorers along with Rostedt, Lenczyk, Alwine and Miller, all of whom will lead the Cavaliers as they adjust to their new schemes against West Virginia and Seton Hall in the Virginia Nike Soccer Classic on Friday in Kl
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