The No. 9 Virginia field hockey team handed William & Mary its first loss of the season Tuesday night, defeating the Tribe 2-0 on the road.
Sophomore forward Rachel Sumfest scored both goals for the Cavaliers (6-2) and freshman goalkeeper Rebecca Holden chipped in eight saves to earn the win.
The Cavaliers’ first goal came just one minute into the contest when Sumfest was assisted by senior back Phoebe Willis. The teams then played to a stalemate for nearly the remainder of the game. But with fewer than three minutes to play, Sumfest found the net again on an assist from redshirt senior midfielder Michelle Vittese. The goals were Sumfest’s sixth and seventh of the season.
Holden recorded an impressive eight saves in the first half alone against 14 first half shots by the Tribe (5-1). Sophomore goalkeeper Jenny Johnstone took over for Holden with 25 minutes remaining in the game, also keeping William & Mary off the board. Sophomore back Maddie DeCerbo contributed with a defensive save.
The Cavaliers were not flawless, as they were outshot 15-9 and were unsuccessful on their three penalty corners. The nine shots were the team’s lowest total this season.
The game was Virginia’s third consecutive road game and second straight against an undefeated opponent. The Cavaliers dropped three spots in the rankings this week after a loss to Northeastern, but they now return home with a pair of victories in hand.
Virginia will play at home for the first time in nearly two weeks this Saturday when it faces Miami of Ohio.
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