No. 3 field​ ​Hockey​ ​has​ ​mixed​ ​results​ ​over​ ​the​ ​weekend

​It​ ​was​ ​a​ ​rough​ ​start​ ​to​ ​the​ ​weekend​ ​for​ ​the​ ​No.​ ​3​ ​Virginia​ ​field​ ​hockey​ ​team​ ​(11-2,​ ​3-1​ ​ACC),​ ​as they​ ​took​ ​a​ ​4-0​ ​beating​ ​from​ ​the​ ​No.​ ​6​ ​North​ ​Carolina​ ​Tar​ ​Heels​ ​(11-2,​ ​3-1​ ​ACC) at home Friday night.​ ​After​ ​scoring​ ​a goal​ ​at​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​a​ ​tight​ ​first​ ​half,​ ​the​ ​Tar​ ​Heels​ ​dominated​ ​the​ ​second​ ​half — ​outmaneuvering​ ​the Cavaliers​ ​on​ ​every​ ​stretch​ ​of​ ​the​ ​field.

Virginia​ ​contained​ ​North​ ​Carolina​ ​for​ ​almost​ ​the​ ​entirety​ ​of​ ​the​ ​first​ ​half,​ ​outshooting the​ ​Tar​ ​Heels​ ​6-5​ ​and​ ​providing​ ​a​ ​stout​ ​defense​ ​against​ ​several​ ​North​ ​Carolina​ ​penalty​ ​corners. After​ ​a ​goal​ ​by Tar Heel​ ​junior​ ​defensive​ ​midfielder​ ​Ashley​ ​Hoffman,​ ​however,​ ​the​ ​Cavaliers​ ​began​ ​to fall​ ​apart​ ​against​ ​the​ ​imposing​ ​North​ ​Carolina​ ​offense.​ ​

Throughout​ ​the​ ​second​ ​half,​ ​the Cavaliers​ ​had​ ​trouble​ ​holding​ ​back​ ​the​ ​Tar​ ​Heels’​ ​drives​ ​and​ ​North​ ​Carolina​ ​retained possession​ ​for​ ​much​ ​of​ ​the​ period.​ ​When​ ​the​ ​Cavaliers​ ​did​ ​break​ ​through​ ​to​ ​the​ ​North​ ​Carolina defense,​ ​excellent​ ​defensive​ ​work​ ​led​ ​by​ Tar Heel ​freshman​ ​goalkeeper​ ​Amanda​ ​Hendry​ ​kept​ ​the dynamic​ ​Virginia​ ​offense​ ​quiet.

The​ ​Cavaliers​ ​were​ ​able​ ​to​ ​bounce​ ​back​ ​from​ ​their​ ​Friday defeat ​with​ ​a​ ​8-0​ ​beatdown​ ​of Drexel​ ​Dragons​ ​​(5-9,​ ​0-2​ ​CAA) at home Sunday afternoon.​ ​Virginia​ ​scored​ ​seven​ ​of​ ​its​ ​eight ​goals​ ​in​ ​the​ ​first​ ​half,​ ​and​ ​kept​ ​the Dragons​ ​from​ ​taking​ ​a​ ​shot​ ​until​ ​late​ ​in​ ​the​ ​second​ ​half.​ ​Virginia freshman​ ​midfielder​ ​Pien​ ​Dicke continued​ ​her​ ​excellent​ ​first​ ​season​ ​by​ ​scoring​ ​a​ ​hat​ ​trick — ​her​ ​fifth​ ​of​ ​the​ ​season​ ​so​ ​far.

This​ ​win​ ​was​ ​another​ ​impressive​ ​defensive​ ​game​ ​by​ ​Virginia,​ ​which​ ​allowed​ ​the​ ​Cavaliers to​ ​largely​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​on​ ​Drexel’s​ ​side​ ​of​ ​the​ ​field.​ ​Virginia​ ​had​ ​13 ​penalty​ ​corners​ ​to Drexel’s​ ​two,​ ​and​ ​outshot​ ​the​ ​Dragons,​ ​29-2. 

Virginia springs back into action on Saturday when the team travels to face Syracuse. The game is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.

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