No. 3 Virginia field hockey triumphed over No. 18 Penn State at Turf Field Friday in domineering fashion, thanks to stellar team chemistry that belied the amount of youth on the team. While the final score of 5-1 fell decisively in the Cavaliers’ (1-0, 0-0 ACC) favor, both teams fought until the bitter end — what one would expect in a clash of titans.
The competitive atmosphere was due in large part to the droves of Nittany Lion (0-1, 0-0 Big Ten) fans packing the stands and making their excitement — and displeasure — heard with every call. Taken at face value, one might have thought it was a home game in State College, Pa., but the Cavaliers were unfazed.
Members of the old and new guard alike contributed to the win, with three underclassmen getting on the scoreboard — including the first career goals for freshman forward Caroline Raynes and freshman back Lauren Sloan. While there are certainly still kinks to work out, for a group that has only been together a few weeks, Virginia’s new blood put on a masterclass worthy of the third-best team in the country. Coach Ole Keusgen spoke highly of the newcomers, emphasizing the importance of developing them as people before players.
“I mean, first of all, we’ve got to give them confidence,” Keusgen said. “It's tough because they will make mistakes and we will learn our painful lessons at times. But that's just the reality of being a young team.”
Keusgen did his job well — the freshmen were nothing if not confident, not to mention relentless on the ball. Their energy quickly caught on, and the Cavaliers took control of the match early. Combined with their trademark transfer-heavy play style of years past, Virginia’s intensity overwhelmed the Nittany Lions’ defensive line.
In the waning minutes of the first quarter, junior midfielder Mia Abello, who was named one of three captains for Virginia this year, sent a bullet straight to senior midfielder Sloan Davidson, who was wide open by the post. Davidson executed a beautiful tip that went flying up into the net. Less than two minutes later, Virginia went up 2-0 off of a well-placed deflection by Raynes.
Penn State finally found its way into the game when Abello’s attempt at clearing a pass from outside the circle got too physical. The Nittany Lions took advantage of the opportunity on goal to execute a near replica of Virginia’s initial goal, cutting the deficit to one. Reinvigorated, Penn State set a higher press that set a frenzied tone for the second quarter. The Cavaliers’ confidence was shaken by the sudden spike in pressure, earlier momentum now disrupted.
Virginia nearly reestablished a two-goal lead when sophomore forward Amelie Rees made a breakaway run, firing the ball into the circle where senior midfielder Lauren Kenah was wide open. Although the ball technically went over the line, too many players from both teams ended up on the ground in the ensuing melee and the umpire ultimately declared it void. Just a few minutes later, another play garnered review when a Penn State forward found a sliver of space in the circle and tried to lift the ball over junior goalkeeper Nilou Lempers, who sent it wide. Another Nittany Lion was there to stop the clear, and after a skirmish in front of goal found an orange foot, Penn State was given another corner.
After a tense quarter under the weight of the Nittany Lions’ press, Virginia faithfuls were quiet in the stands, awaiting what seemed to be an inevitable goal. Raynes had other plans — just as the shot went off, she appeared out of nowhere to block what might have otherwise been the equalizing goal for Penn State.
Raynes’s clutch save gave the Cavaliers the surge of momentum they needed. Within minutes, graduate midfielder Suze Leemans capitalized off of a poor deflection by the Nittany Lion goalkeeper, somehow executing a perfect shot with her back to the goal. Although Penn State called for review, the umpires upheld the call, and Virginia regained the two goal lead.
From there, the Cavaliers were off to the races. Sophomore forward Amelie Rees netted a goal of her own — the second of her career — off of an assist from Sloan, who scored unassisted soon after. When the buzzer finally sounded, the once boisterous Penn State crowd was quiet. The past three years had yielded only one-goal deficits, and now that deficit had skyrocketed to four.
The difference was clear — this year’s recruiting class has elevated what was already an incredible team. Abello was quick to praise the underclassman additions to the roster.
“It’s a very exciting process,” Abello said. “You come in, there's new energy. There's new speed, aggression, and overall, like, eagerness to play. And as captains and leaders, we have to help shape that. So it's honestly been really fun. And coming as a first year, I've dreamed of these moments and to help lead the team. So I've loved it. They have a good work rate. They're good teammates. It's honestly everything you could ask for.”
After a thrilling triumph, another Big Ten foe awaits. Virginia travels to Columbus, Ohio. Friday to face Ohio State for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge weekend. The match is slated to start at 4 p.m.
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