When junior midfielder Emma Watchilla scored the game’s first goal, she was mobbed by teammates in a dogpile celebration. A bit strange for the game’s first goal, no?
Considering that Watchilla’s brace was the game’s one and only goal, the grand celebration makes sense.
For the entirety of regulation, No. 2 Virginia managed just one shot on goal. In a vacuum, one would think that lack of offense resulted in a loss, but Coach Ole Keusgen and company had other plans.
The breakthrough came in Friday’s second overtime, after the Cavaliers (9-0, 5-0 ACC) had battled through 72 minutes and 51 seconds of an aggressive duel with the No. 9 Blue Devils (6-4, 3-2 ACC) at Turf Field. That battle eventually came to an end when Virginia’s offense caught its opportunity at just the right time.
Sophomore midfielder Ashley Stockdale was weaving through Virginia’s defense when junior midfielder Mia Abello suddenly stole the ball. She quickly flicked it to graduate midfielder Suze Leemans, who swung with all of her might. The ball was subsequently tipped by a Blue Devil defender, and it went flying into Duke territory — where only the last line of defense stood.
One-on-one, Watchilla made the keeper miss and strolled through the rest of the way for the game’s only goal.
Watchilla was the game’s hero — but her heroics would not have been possible without an incredible defensive effort. Virginia only allowed two shots on goal, both of which were saved by junior goalkeeper Nilou Lempers. Overall, Lempers tallied four saves on the evening. Together, Lempers and the Cavalier defense held Duke scoreless on eight corner shot opportunities, half of which came in the fourth quarter.
The only issue was that Duke’s defense was equally dominant. Virginia could not manage to produce a single shot in the second, third or fourth quarters. The Cavaliers did not even register a second shot on goal until the first overtime.
In that 10-minute period, Virginia managed to clobber together four shots on goal, and although none went through, peppering the Blue Devil defense was undoubtedly productive.
Pressuring Duke’s defense was a top priority, as these rivals have required overtime in four of their previous six matchups, all six of which had been decided by one goal. Goals were at a premium.
Offense was especially scarce considering that entering Friday’s matchup, the Blue Devils had been allowing just 0.89 goals per game, which was sixth-best among all Division I teams.
The Cavaliers, who average 5.5 corner opportunities per game, earned just three Friday, two of which came after the game’s first three quarters. But in the game’s waning minutes, it was not a set piece that won the day. It was capitalizing on an opponent’s mistake.
As Leemans’ deflected pass went flying into the night sky, Watchilla was in the right place at the right time. The play began with Abello’s forced turnover, then a Leemans pass that miraculously landed in Duke territory, then Watchilla punctuating a wild turn of events.
Now, Virginia is one of three remaining undefeated Division I teams. The Cavaliers have a week off, which, after playing a game that went into double overtime, is definitely valuable given that their next opponent is their archrival North Carolina.
The Tar Heels — ranked No. 1 in the NCAA RPI and No. 3 in the Coaches’ Poll — will travel to Charlottesville Friday for a 5 p.m. duel. While this rivalry is always high-stakes, there is new fuel to the fire, as senior midfielder Dani Mendez transferred from Virginia to join the Tar Heels this past offseason.
Those Tar Heels will encounter a Cavalier squad that sits alone atop the ACC standings, with a 6-0 record against ranked teams — and a defense that has allowed just five goals in nine games.
Read More
The yellow goalpost that could
By Michael Liebermann | 1 hours ago“First thing I’m thinking is, oh my god, we did it,” fourth-year College student Joey Burch said. “The second thing I’m thinking is, wow, this goalpost has to come down.”
After thorough personnel turnover, Virginia basketball is back to work
By Emory Huffman | Yesterday"This one's been a lot different," Odom said during a press conference Sept. 10.
No. 16 men’s soccer attempted 29 shots — but only one really mattered
By Aimee Crosbie | YesterdayOulouheu celebrated accordingly, springing into a double handspring and two backflips. The celebration received roars and clangs from Klöckner’s metal bleachers, a release for a fanbase that had watched Virginia struggle to score all month.
