When the No. 12 Virginia women's lacrosse team travels to No. 8 Syracuse Sunday, the team will have its first opportunity of the year to build a winning streak. After beating Richmond 23-13 Wednesday, the Cavaliers (1-1) hope to carry momentum into their third consecutive road game.
Starting the season with a three-game road trip has not been easy for a team that graduated two All-American midfielders, Kaitlin Duff and Brittany Kalkstein, last spring. During the season-opening loss to No. 13 Loyola, the team lacked cohesion between the defensive and attacking ends.
"Our transition game needs to get much cleaner so that our attackers have more opportunities to do their thing," coach Julie Myers said after the loss. "They need to learn how to do it a little more on their own in the flow of a game."
The Cavaliers quickly showed the signs of improvement Wednesday, however, and scored its highest number of goals during Myers' 16-year tenure as coach. The team matched its best offensive performance since a 23-3 win against Dartmouth in 1987, as 10 players chipped in at least one goal and five recorded hat tricks.
Against Syracuse, the Cavaliers will need to take extra care in monitoring their own goal. In its first game of the season, the Orange blasted Colgate with a 19-goal outburst. Syracuse senior Tee Ladouceur led the way with six goals and an assist, while senior Lindsey Connell and sophomore Michelle Tumolo also tallied five points apiece.
In a back-and-forth contest against Stanford Sunday, the Cardinal held the Orange's offense in check, winning by a final score of 11-10. The Cavaliers will rely on an experienced backline to do the same. The Cavaliers have caused 27 turnovers during their first two games and will attempt to keep the pressure on Syracuse.
"A lot of the leadership comes out of the defensive end," senior defender and co-captain Marghi Walters said.
If the Cavaliers are able to protect sophomore goalie Kim Kolarik, the game could turn on how efficiently the Cavaliers set up their attack after defensive stops.
"Doing the little things in practice, setting up plays and then doing it in games is [key]," junior attacker Charlie Finnigan said.
The Cavaliers have received solid performances from an ensemble of attacking players who could provide plenty of firepower as the season continues. The Virginia attack returns four players who made critical contributions last year and has a chance to become one of the most feared units in the perennially strong ACC.
"We've all started at least a year," redshirt junior attacker Ainsley Baker said, referring to fellow attackers Finnigan and juniors Julie Gardner and Josie Owen. "I think we'll be the leaders and foundation of the attack."
During last year's home matchup with Syracuse, Finnigan scored the decisive goal for Virginia with 1:33 left. The Cavaliers held on for a 14-13 victory in a contest that included seven tied scores. The Cavaliers will look to equal that success on the road, Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
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