Virginia field hockey has more than proven its mettle this season, besting eight ranked teams — four of which were shutouts — prior to Friday’s match against No. 6 Wake Forest. Yet the Cavaliers (14-1, 7-1 ACC) somehow reached new heights with an incredible 5-3 victory over the Demon Deacons (15-3, 7-1 ACC), overcoming increasingly poor sportsmanship from their opponent to win not only the match but also the title of ACC Regular Season Co-Champions.
“Very happy for the team,” Coach Ole Keusgen said. “I am super proud of how they played, how aggressive we played and how confident we played. So, I absolutely loved our performance today.”
All season, Wake Forest has emerged as one of the premier teams in the country, ranking within the top 10 in almost every offensive category. In many ways, the Demon Deacons were the perfect foil to a Virginia squad that leads the nation in save percentage and the conference in multiple other categories. No one could be sure which program would come out on top, but everyone was in agreement on one thing — it was sure to be entertaining.
And it was — between the incredible gameplay from the Cavaliers and the mounting physicality of the Demon Deacons, there was never a quiet moment. In the stands, a raucous contingent of Wake Forest faithfuls attempted to rattle the hosts, but Virginia only got better as the game went on.
Although the final score hinted at a close game, the Cavaliers had ironclad control over the pace of play through nearly all 60 minutes. The defensive line, just as it has all season, did a superb job of working the Demon Deacons’ offense, forcing them to run after constant transfers around the back third.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, amped up their usual pace, setting an aggressive tone that made good use of the team’s deep bench. It was all Wake Forest could do to keep up with Virginia’s speed, which paid off in the waning minutes of the first quarter when the Cavaliers earned a penalty corner. Freshman back Lauren Sloan received the insert and immediately dished it to senior midfielder Caroline Nemec, who deflected the ball into the net.
The goal kickstarted an offensive blitz from the usually defensive-minded Cavaliers. It began when the Demon Deacons’ borderline hostile behavior finally came to a head. After successfully diverting a Wake Forest corner attempt, Virginia had a breakaway that saw senior midfielder Sloan Davidson feed the ball to freshman forward Riley Savage. Savage maneuvered around her defender and drove up the baseline, only for senior netminder Ellie Todd to crash into her, sending Savage sprawling to the ground. The result was a penalty stroke, which junior back Mia Abello converted easily.
Less than two minutes into the third quarter, freshman midfielder Mary Adams stormed into the circle thanks to a dime pass from senior back Madison Orsi. Adams’ speed left three Demon Deacons in her wake, giving her the space she needed to fire a shot into the far corner of the cage. It was her third goal of the season as well as of her career.
Wake Forest got on the board shortly after, but it did little to slow the Cavaliers’ overwhelming momentum. In a beautiful passing sequence that showed Virginia field hockey at its absolute best, freshman back Lauren Sloan fed the ball to sophomore forward Amelie Rees, who in turn found senior forward Lauren Kenah. Kenah sent a bouncing ball to graduate midfielder Suze Leemans, who slapped it into the back of the goal to regain the three-goal lead. Freshman midfielder Bella Moore added to the tally soon after with her first goal of the season and her career.
Towards the end of the second half, Wake Forest grew desperate to stop the bleeding on a match that had run away in Virginia’s favor. The Demon Deacons managed to notch two goals of their own before the end of the game, but both were essentially unavoidable — one was a one-in-a-million shot out of the air, and the other was off of a drag flick from junior midfielder Mia Schoenbeck, who leads her team in goals with 22.
Ironically, although Wake Forest led Virginia in shots, shots on goal and corners, the match never felt firmly in the Demon Deacons’ favor. If anything, the Cavaliers dominated, a difficult feat in a conference filled with powerhouse programs. Should Virginia continue to play the way it did today, a second ACC championship title is sure to come to Charlottesville.
“They deserve this and to celebrate seniors and with the trophy,” Keusgen said. “It’s fun but we also need to be clear that this is the first goal, the tournament is coming up.”
The Cavaliers begin postseason play Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in the ACC Quarterfinals. The match will be held in Louisville, Ky. against Stanford.
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