The sole undefeated team on Grounds, No. 5 women's field hockey (6-0) finally retreats to its home field this weekend to take on Michigan State following a contest against William & Mary this afternoon in Williamsburg. Virginia's last home appearance was Aug. 30.
"We can't wait to play at home," Virgini coach Michele Madison said of Michigan State. "It's going to be a close game. Both teams have similar strengths. We're just excited to play in front of our home crowd."
Before the showdown with the Spartans, however, the Cavaliers face a 3-2 William & Mary team that is coming off a loss to No. 4 Princeton.
Junior forward Erica Eng and sophomore forward Leah Zamesnik lead the Tribe's offense. Eng had a hat trick in an overtime win against Rutgers two weeks ago and followed that with a pair of assists against Appalachian State two days later. Zamesnik has two goals and two assists and leads the team with 24 shots.
William & Mary's young offense should not challenge Virginia's defense much. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers must be prepared to counteract and break through the Tribe's defensive front.
Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper Camilla Hill ranks 21st nationally with a .773 save percentage, making 17 stops for the Tribe in five appearances. Fellow freshman back Maria Caro has the team's only two defensive saves.
But with four shutouts this season, including their last 5-0 victory against Ohio University, the Cavaliers also have been able to protect the goal while maintaining a presence on the field.
"I think this year we have some great talent," senior back Lauren Elstein said. "We have a strange defense; we actually have a first-, second-, third- and fourth year. It is not a young defense overall. The people that have been playing defense have been playing for a really long time now."
Along with sophomore back Floor Vogels, who Madison credits for the impressive communication and unity in the defensive front, Elstein has played a vital role in strengthening the defense this season since her move from playing forward.
"It is definitely a different mindset," Elstein said. "On defense you have to a look more thinking and being patient; thinking about when do I go, what are my other defenders doing, am I marking this person. There [are] a lot more thought processes."
Virginia's staunch defense will prove even more important against a Michigan State team that averages four goals per game and has taken 113 shots to 54 by its opponents.. The Spartans look to redeem a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 8 Syracuse last week, despite controlling both the game tempo and shot advantage, 18-11.
The Michigan State contest also figures to have a personal component, as it was home to Madison for 13 seasons prior to her career with the Cavaliers.
"There's a lot of pride involved," Madison said. "You never really forget where you came from. I have a lot of great memories and friends, including the coaches. But when the whistle blows, it's Virginia against Michigan."
Madison will seek to contain a highly aggressive offense, led by freshman Manouk Vernij. This Sunday, Vernij recorded a team-high five shots in the Spartans' loss. Vernij has tallied six goals this season and was named Big Ten Freshman of the week. Her ability to ignite the Spartan attack - she has scored several opening goals this season - could lead to problems for Virginia if Vernij is not watched closely.
Virginia also will need to contain dangerous strikers such as senior midfielder Floor Rijpma and sophomore forward Chantae Miller, who have tallied four goals apiece. Junior forward Jantine Steinmetz, meanwhile, has contributed three goals. Similar to the balanced Cavaliers in many respects, Michigan State already has seen points this season from 10 different players.
"I think it will be really exciting, especially for Michele, who used to coach there," sophomore midfielder Rachel Jennings said. "They have always been such a competitive team and have been in the top 10. We are really excited for some good competition"
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