Throughout Virginia field hockey’s season of success, there remains one boogeyman the team has been unable to conquer. Prior to their matchup in the ACC championship Friday, North Carolina had defeated the Cavaliers (16-1, 7-1, ACC) in four straight matches and in 11 of their previous 12 showdowns dating back to 2020. It seems that however prepared and talented Virginia appears, the Tar Heels (18-1, 7-1, ACC) always end up reigning supreme, besting their oldest rival and continuing to tyrannize the ACC.
The 2025-26 ACC Championship was no exception. Virginia, after an emotionally and physically draining shootout victory against Syracuse the day prior, had little left in the tank for the reigning conference champions. Coach Ole Keusgen recognized this going into the match Friday and understood the team might not have been at their best.
“That was a very challenging week for many reasons, including playing back-to-back high intensity games, including overtime, including sickness, it was just a long stretch for everyone involved,” Kuesgen said. “I think the team did a good job but, in the end, it wasn’t enough and we will have to look into a couple things going into the national tournament that we have to be better at.”
The difficult week seemed to halt all the momentum the Cavaliers had been accumulating prior to the match, as they were outclassed and outplayed, falling 4-1 to North Carolina in the championship. Though the season is not over, with the NCAA Tournament soon to get underway, this match was an opportunity for Virginia to take the next step as a program and bring home its first conference championship. Instead, the team was forced to watch as the Tar Heels hoist their ninth straight trophy, cementing their dominance in the ACC.
North Carolina looked the better, more energized team from the jump. After sloppy defensive play allowed the Cavaliers a transition chance they could not convert on, the Tar Heels tightened the screws and played effectively mistake-free hockey. They controlled the ball on offense, putting immense pressure on the tremendous Virginia defense until it eventually cracked. Ironically, it was the former Cavalier lead goal scorer, senior forward Dani Mendez, who drew first blood, placing a perfect shot into the far corner for North Carolina.
The rest of the quarter remained scoreless, though momentum sat squarely on the Tar Heels’ shoulders. Their careful ball movement prevented Virginia from gaining any meaningful possession, and when the Cavaliers did manage to take the ball, the Tar Heels quickly shut down any transition opportunities. For all the Virginia offense that had looked rejuvenated through the past few games, it seemed lifeless and uninspired in the championship.
North Carolina continued to dominate into the second quarter, earning two penalty corners within the first two minutes. The first resulted in an acrobatic kick stop from junior keeper Nilou Lempers, but the second resulted in another Mendez shot, which found its way underneath and past the ACC goalkeeper of the year. The Tar Heels claimed a two goal lead, but looked poised to make the deficit larger thanks to their aggressive play.
The Cavalier defense was given everything it could handle, as the non-stop offensive push from North Carolina mounted. Under heavy duress, Virginia was called for a penalty and the Tar Heels were awarded their fourth corner of the half. Junior forward Charly Bruder would not waste the opportunity, smashing a shot into the left corner off the pass in, and extending her team’s lead to three.
The Cavaliers, with their backs against the wall, found some hope with the half dwindling to a close, as freshman midfielder Mary Adams snatched the ball from the North Carolina keeper and earned a penalty in the process. Junior back Mia Abello, who prior to the game was 4-4 on penalty shots, kept her perfect streak alive and cut the deficit to two heading into the half. All things considered, Virginia was lucky to be sitting only down two with 30 minutes left to play.
That luck would run out quickly. Forty-three seconds into the second half, the Tar Heels struck again. This time, it was freshman forward Reese Anetsberger who found the back of the net, and just as quickly as things began looking up for the Cavaliers, the team found themselves back in a three goal hole.
For nearly the next half-hour of play, North Carolina would put on a defensive clinic, allowing zero Virginia shots through the rest of the game. Besides a penalty, it seemed the Cavaliers had no answer for the stranglehold of the Tar Heel’s backline, simply looking overwhelmed by the play of their opponent. Though it began sending every player it could into the offensive half, Virginia could generate no looks or openings. The game ended 4-1, with North Carolina outshooting Virginia 14-5, a difference that surely would have been greater if the Tar Heels chose to remain aggressive on offense in the second half.
For a team whose season-long goal has been to take home a conference championship, when the opportunity arose, the Cavaliers simply did not have their A or even B-game. Whether the deciding factor was North Carolina’s talent or Virginia being fatigued, it will make no difference in the record books. Now, all the Cavaliers can do is look ahead and prepare for the NCAA Tournament, where they will no doubt be competing for not only a shot at a national championship, but potentially a rematch as well against North Carolina.
As Virginia is likely to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament, its next match should take place Friday. The selection show determining who the Cavaliers will square off against will be aired at NCAA.com 9 p.m Sunday.
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