Beneath the eerie glow of the Scott Stadium lights and within the hallowed walls of John Paul Jones Arena, some nights are better left forgotten. While the Cavaliers had their fair share of victories in the past year, a few games will definitely come back to haunt Virginia. Whether it's a disaster on the hardwood, a rivalry loss on the gridiron or a meltdown on the lacrosse field, the Cavaliers’ spookiest losses of the past year may still come back to haunt the Virginia faithful this Halloween season.
Football: Virginia 17, Virginia Tech 37
It’s hard to find a scarier place for the Cavaliers than Lane Stadium on a cold night in late November. Under a dull gray sky in Blacksburg, enduring near-freezing temperatures, the Cavaliers tried to do what hadn’t been done since 1998 — beat the Hokies in their maroon and orange haunted house. Once the game started, though, it felt like the same horror story the Cavalier fans bear witness to every year, as the Hokies once again claimed the Commonwealth Cup, defeating Virginia in dominant fashion.
Baseball: Virginia 3, Liberty 5
The baseball team had their fair share of woes this past season as well, writing perhaps the scariest story of them all after being swept in the season by Liberty. The Cavaliers started off the season ranked No. 2 in the nation and were favored by many to return to Omaha, Neb. for the third time in four years. However, that expectation came crashing down quickly as the Cavaliers endured plenty of haunting pitching performances and missed out on postseason play. The loss to Liberty felt like the moment the team's spirit shattered, a midweek nightmare nobody would have imagined.
Men’s basketball: Virginia 74, Virginia Tech 75
In a February heartbreaker at JPJ, the Hoos fell to their archrival Hokies 74-75 in a closely contested game. What made this game truly spooky were the multiple opportunities that the Hokies gave Virginia to take the lead in the final few minutes — in the form of a three-point shot and fast break attempt — with the Cavaliers missing their mark for both. Despite strong showings from key players, the game illustrated the importance of execution in the clutch, as fans filed out of JPJ frustrated, feeling that Virginia could have and should have pulled that one out.
Men's lacrosse: Virginia 8, North Carolina 19
What was supposed to be a typical business trip to Chapel Hill, N.C. in early April with the Cavaliers looking to continue their dominance over the Tar Heels quickly twisted into something much worse. North Carolina struck first and didn't take their foot off the gas as they jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead early. The Cavaliers were ultimately defeated 18-9 by the Tar Heels, a final score that represents a resoundingly poor Virginia performance coupled with a stellar North Carolina offensive outing.
Women’s lacrosse: Virginia 9, Duke 17
In the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament, the Cavaliers were soundly defeated by the Blue Devils in an upset, with the Cavaliers making a much earlier tournament exit than they had hoped for. It has been a common trend for Virginia women’s lacrosse to be a regular season treat and postseason trick. Duke's offense was flowing, producing a surplus of goals, while Virginia couldn't get into their typical rhythm as they posted one of their lowest scoring performances when it mattered most.
Men’s soccer: Virginia 1, Wake Forest 5
In the semifinals of last year's ACC Tournament, the Cavaliers got handily defeated 5-1 by the Demon Deacons in one of their bleakest outings of the season. The match took place amidst heavy rainfall that had a significant impact upon the quality of play and the field conditions. Wake Forest made easy work of Virginia's defense and put up three first-half goals in the span of 11 minutes. This loss represented Virginia's greatest margin of defeat in ACC Tournament play and delivered a blow to the Cavalier’s confidence as they prepared for the NCAA Tournament.
Women’s soccer: Virginia 0, Wisconsin 0
In a tense second round NCAA Tournament matchup, the Cavaliers took on the Badgers in what ended up being their final game of the season. Despite playing 110 combined minutes of regular and overtime, neither team was able to break through the deadlock. In the final minutes Virginia was awarded a penalty kick, only for it to be taken away after a video review by the official. The match ultimately came down to a penalty kick shootout where the Badgers managed to convert four of their penalty kicks, while the Cavaliers only netted two, ending the season in heartbreak.
Men’s basketball: Virginia 52, SMU 54
Virginia hosted the SMU Mustangs in January in a game that would result in last-minute heartbreak. The game was a low-scoring affair that featured strong defensive displays from both teams throughout. While the game was close from beginning to end, the Mustangs’ execution in the clutch proved to be the difference maker, as they were able to make more plays down the stretch. In the final minutes, SMU drilled two crucial three-pointers that tipped the balance in their favor.
Football: Virginia 31, NC State 35
Last year’s visit to Blacksburg isn't the only loss that haunts Virginia. This year's trip to Raleigh in the first weekend of September saw the Cavaliers put up one of their best offensive performances in recent memory, only to let the game slip away on the final drive. A late interception thrown by graduate quarterback Chandler Morris put an end to any hopes of a game winning final drive. While this game doesn't seem to be haunting the team too much, as they haven't dropped a game since, that blemish on a near-perfect record is nothing but plaintive.
Field hockey: Virginia 2, Northwestern 3
In a tightly contested matchup between Virginia and Northwestern in the NCAA quarterfinals, the Cavaliers were narrowly defeated in overtime. The match up was a defensive battle, with both teams exchanging goals and the lead as the clock slowly dwindled down to zero. Virginia took the lead early but couldn't hold on with the game being tied 2-2 at the end of regulation. The dagger from the Wildcats came just three minutes into extra time, sending the Cavaliers home in heartbreaking fashion.
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