Once again, No. 2 Virginia field hockey is positioned in the highest echelon of the national rankings. In the past three years, a dynamic offense — with the propensity to disappear at times — was the hallmark of this team. However, these Cavaliers are different from years past. This is not a high-scoring bunch, but rather a defensive juggernaut anchored by junior goalkeeper Nilou Lempers.
But even though the Cavaliers stand at 9-0 with five ranked wins, none of that matters come November. When the postseason begins with the ACC Championship, all that matters is making a deep run — and fighting to reach Durham, N.C. for the national championship game. Below, three beat writers dissect the biggest storylines of the season thus far.
Virginia has only allowed five goals in nine games. What is the key to this defense?
Xander Tilock, Sports Editor: While Lempers would be the obvious choice, Virginia’s dominant back line defense ensures Lempers only faces an average of 7.6 shots per game. In particular, junior midfielder Mia Abello flies around the field at lightning speed to swat shots away in addition to her offensive duties. Considering that Virginia’s offense averaged 2.5 goals per game, all Lempers has to do is deflect five or six shots in 60 minutes of gameplay.
Eleanor Buchanan, Senior Associate: The great thing about this Virginia defense is that there is no one lynchpin — every player does their part in order to create the well-oiled machine that has shut out four of the six ranked teams the Cavaliers have faced this season. That said, Lauren Sloan deserves all the flowers for her poise in the sweeper role despite only being a freshman. It takes a lot to be the anchor for the back line, and to do so with fewer than two months of experience is even more impressive.
Casey Reims, Staff Writer: Coach Ole Keusgen deserves lots of credit for the way the defense has adjusted to whatever offense they have faced. He has instilled a lot of discipline in this team and has shown the ability to make tactical changes on the fly. If the team needs to press, they press, and if they need to hang back and park the bus, they can do that as well. This versatility says a lot about how well-coached a squad is.
The Cavaliers are outscoring ranked opponents 12-2 this year. Last year, Virginia was outscored 18-21 by ranked opponents. What changed?
XT: The entire defense changed. Freshmen account for 40 percent of this roster. And as the new guard entered, the old guard left — out the door are the occasional blowups of allowing four or more goals in a single game. Instead, Virginia has allowed multiple goals just once all season. The Cavaliers do not have to push through firefights on offense anymore, as they have embraced the mantra “defense wins championships.”
EB: Offensive production has improved significantly for this Virginia team. 13 different Cavaliers have tallied at least one goal on the season already, while the overall scoring average skyrocketed from last season’s 2.26 to 2.50. In particular, Abello has taken her game up a notch, stepping up to fill the offensive vacancy left by Dani Mendez. She currently leads the team in goals and points, and doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon.
CR: Lempers has been a massive difference maker for the squad, becoming the full-time starter after only being in the lineup five games last year. The defense has helped her tremendously, preventing many quality shots from coming her way. However, when they do come her way she’s been phenomenal, currently ranked second nationally in save percentage in the nation at .857. Having a reliable keeper in the net makes a world of difference for the defense, who can attack freely knowing they have support on the backend.
What needs to happen for this team to make an ACC title run?
XT: The answer is simple — beat No. 1 North Carolina in the postseason. The rival Tar Heels are the only team ahead of Virginia in the NCAA RPI rankings. Other than Northwestern, North Carolina is the only team on par with the Cavaliers right now. They will clash in Charlottesville Friday and inevitably meet in the ACC Tournament. Forget the ACC title, if Virginia can finally beat the Tar Heels, Keusgen’s bunch can win a national championship.
EB: Although North Carolina lost to Wake Forest, it is the team to beat for Virginia — after the past two years of the Tar Heels functioning as the Cavaliers’ white whale, the upcoming matchup in Charlottesville is sure to be crucial. The key to victory lies in shutting down senior forward Ryleigh Heck, who currently ranks seventh and ninth nationally in goals per game and points per game, respectively. If Heck gets fired up, the rest of North Carolina is sure to follow — if Virginia can limit her time on the ball, it can focus on generating offensive opportunities in its own right.
CR: The team must get up for every game and not look past any opponents. There are still six games left in the regular season, and the Cavaliers must not forget that the ACC is filled with competitive squads who can all be dangerous if not properly prepared for. One slip up could cost the Cavaliers a shot at the title, and while they might have their eyes on the top ranked Tar Heels, they must not overlook the teams in front of them.
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