For most programs, losing eight seniors — let alone skilled veterans with multiple Final Fours under their belts — would be a crippling blow, especially with a head coach still relatively early in his tenure. Yet Virginia field hockey has not slowed down in the slightest. If anything, the Cavaliers, who came in at No. 3 in last week’s National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll, appear stronger than ever ahead of the 2025 season.
Coach Ole Keusgen and Virginia will have the opportunity to test that strength Friday against No. 18 Penn State, a solid top-20 team looking to redeem last year’s 2-1 loss.
With both teams still relatively inexperienced — the majority of new recruits have only been practicing with the team for a few weeks at most — Friday’s game will undoubtedly be a battle of the two recruiting classes. While the Nittany Lions are no slouch in that department — over half of Penn State’s freshman class ranked within the Max Field Hockey Top 50 — it is difficult to ignore the sheer firepower in Virginia’s arsenal.
Historically, Penn State has proven to be a tough first opponent for the Cavaliers, as it holds the all-time series lead, but this is not the same team the Cavaliers faced a year ago — the Nittany Lions lost their claws with the graduation of prolific striker Phia Gladieux.
Gladieux, who was responsible for over half of the team’s total goals last season, served as the engine that kept the Penn State machine running through a disappointing final season. Without her to keep the Nittany Lions on the board, Virginia’s stacked lineup is expected to dominate the match.
Much like Penn State, Virginia lost its star player in senior striker Daniela Mendez-Trendler. Her transfer to perennial ACC rival North Carolina rocked the still-developing offensive line. Unlike the Nittany Lions, however, the Cavaliers not only filled the space left by Mendez-Trendler, but improved the offense as a whole.
That improvement comes in large part thanks to the talented recruiting class Keusgen and his program have collected. The latest additions to the team include three Max Field Hockey Top 10 Players, two transfers — including graduate midfielder Cassidy Thibodeau from North Carolina — and freshman forward Frederique Vernooij, who played on the Netherlands U-16 national team. While Penn State welcomed a similar number of new recruits, there is a distinct lack of veteran experience among them, whereas the Cavaliers brought on experienced and young players alike.
In the defensive third, the disparity between the recruiting classes is even more obvious. Virginia landed an incredible transfer in junior goalkeeper Emma Giesting, who ranked fifth in the country in saves per game with 7.63. She figures to be the starter, replacing the graduated Tyler Kennedy, who averaged 1.4 saves per game last year.
What’s more, the Cavaliers have stellar substitute options in junior goalkeeper Nilou Lempers and freshman goalkeeper Soren Kipphut. Lempers had a strong sophomore season, starting in several key games in the second half of the season, while Kipphut was named a Max Field Hockey Top 10 player in her class. Suffice to say, Virginia is not lacking for options in the net.
Conversely, for Penn State, sophomore netminder Aby Deverka, had mixed results during her freshman season. Although she only clocked in at 69th best nationally, Deverka registered 5.67 saves per game, putting her at 18th in the country. It is uncertain how Deverka will perform based on her previous numbers given the drastic difference between them, but Giesting’s dominance last year makes for a convincing case for a Virginia win.
The numbers might be in the Cavaliers’ favor, but the chip on the shoulder of the Nittany Lions should not be underestimated — not when Virginia bested them in the last two matchups.
Regardless of the outcome, the matchup will serve as a litmus test for the season to come. Play is slated to begin at 5 p.m. at Turf Field. The game will also be broadcast on ACCNX.
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