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(10/17/08 4:58am)
The Virginia field hockey team put on an offensive onslaught at the University Hall Turf Field beating Longwood 5-0 last night.The Cavaliers (11-5, 1-1 ACC) once again proved what an important role their home field can play in their success by notching their 10th victory of the season in Charlottesville. The victory for the Cavaliers was their 11th of the season, which matches their win total from 2007.Freshman midfielder Paige Selenski and junior forward Traci Ragukas, both of whom had two goals and an assist, led the Cavalier offensive attack. The Lancers (6-8, 3-2 NorPac) were put away fast as Selenski’s first goal eight minutes into the game proved to be all Virginia needed to overcome Longwood. Freshman midfielder Michelle Vittese was able to score her first goal since coming back from an injury this past Saturday. The Virginia lineup has been in flux for the past week as several players sustained injuries, most of whom continued to play.“We were nursing a couple of injuries,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “So it really shook up the chemistry a little bit. Last week it was like starting all over again in preseason. So we just took a step backwards and tried to get our passing game back, and they were able to that today.”Junior forward Lauren Elstein is not lucky enough, however, to play with an injury. Elstein broke her clavicle last week and could be sidelined for up to one month, but could make it back for the ACC Tournament in early November. Elstein is currently fifth on the team in goals and second in assists and is a key part of Virginia’s offensive attack.“It’s a big loss,” sophomore forward Kaitlyn Hiltz said. “It’s hard when you have a player that is out. We all just have to step up and fill that role and learn from what she did for the team.”To help combat the injury problems, senior forward Liz Hiltz has decided to rejoin the team. Hiltz’s impact was immediate because she was able to contribute an assist last night. Virginia’s offensive efficiency was complemented by its suffocating defense, which was able to post its fourth shutout of the season. The goalkeeper carousel continued to spin as highly recruited freshman Adrienne Ostroff made her first collegiate appearance, playing the second half in goal.“It’s just a matter of giving [Ostroff] a chance,” Madison said. “Our save percentage has not been that high, and she has been practicing really well, so we gave her a shot.”Ostroff looked impressive in goal after just having come off an injury, recording three saves.The Cavaliers will look to reverse their road fortunes as they travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to play the Tar Heels (10-3, 2-1 ACC) Saturday . Virginia currently has a 1-4 record on the road that needs to be improved if the team want to keep its hopes for a national championship alive.“We need to just carry our mentality [from home games] with us when we are on the road,” Kaitlyn Hiltz said. “We just need to stay focused on the road and remember what we are there to do.”Defeating North Carolina will be no easy task as the Tar Heels are currently second in the ACC. Their lone loss in-conference was at the hands of Boston College, whom Virginia was able to beat 2-1 in two extra periods. The Tar Heels boast a trio of all-stars in sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Drazdowski, junior back Riley Foster and sophomore goalkeeper Jackie Kintzer, all of whom were on the U.S. Junior National team.
(10/16/08 5:09am)
The Virginia field hockey team failed to record a win in two road matches in University Park, Pa. over the weekend, dropping decisions to then-No. 5 Iowa 3-2 and then-No. 13 Penn State 1-0. The Cavaliers (10-5) have dropped four of their last five games after starting the season 9-1.The Cavaliers lost first to the Hawkeyes Saturday after falling behind 0-2 in the first half, the largest margin they have faced all season. Freshman back Floor Vogels and junior forward Traci Ragukas tallied two consecutive goals for Virginia to knot the score at 2-2, but Iowa sophomore Amy Baxter’s goal off a penalty corner early in the second half put Virginia away.The Cavaliers were unable to take advantage of several opportunities throughout the game as they out-shot and out-cornered the Hawkeyes. Inefficiency has been a common theme in Virginia’s four losses, as Virginia dominated these opponents statistically but was unable to come up with the win. The missed opportunities against Iowa rolled over to Sunday’s game against Penn State. Once again the Cavaliers failed to capitalize on many opportunities and were shut-out for just the second time this season.The game against Iowa Saturday saw the return of freshman midfielder Michelle Vittese, who had missed the previous eight games because of injury after scoring four goals and two assists in the first six games of the season. Just as Vittese returned to the lineup, however, junior forward Lauren Elstein exited. Elstein was injured in practice last week and missed both games during the weekend.The Cavaliers have had a hard time putting the same starting 10 on the field because of injuries in recent weeks. Elstein’s absence certainly contributed to the two losses over the weekend, though the team made no excuses.“I think teamwork is more important in situations like this,” senior midfielder Lucy Meyers said.Over the weekend, Virginia unexpectedly was able to gain the services of freshman midfielder Paige Selenski. Selenski had been with the junior national team for the Junior Pan American Cup in Mexico City; it was anticipated that she would not play in the weekend games, but she was able to return at the last moment. While in Mexico City, Selenski was able to score a hat trick in Team USA’s victory against Trinidad and Tobago.Even with Selenski and Vittese, however, Virginia was unable to reverse its fortunes on the road. Four out of the Cavaliers’ five losses have come away from the friendly confines of the University Hall Turf Field.Virginia is fortunate to return home and face Longwood Thursday. The Lancers (6-7, 3-2 NorPac) stumble into the game having lost three of their last four games, two of which were to ACC teams No. 3 Wake Forest and No. 7 North Carolina. The Lancers have struggled away from home as well, posting a 1-2 road record.Virginia should be favored to win handily because the game is at home; the Cavaliers have won the last five decisions against Longwood, dating back to 2003. Virginia hopes to continue the trend of offensive dominance: As a team, the Cavaliers have outscored their opponents 47-22, already surpassing their 2007 total of 41. Selenski currently leads the team and is tied for third in the ACC with 13 goals.Virginia coach Michele Madison’s group has played like a team that wants to win a national championship so far this season. The Virginia offense also will receive a boost to its roster with the return of senior forward Liz Hiltz, who rejoins the Cavaliers after one year away from the team. Hiltz is the older sister of sophomore forward Kaitlyn Hiltz, who has scored three goals thus far this season. Liz Hiltz has played in 24 career games for the Cavaliers and has tallied one goal and three assists.“We are still trying to see; a lot of people are stepping up,” Madison said, noting that seniors Lucy Meyers, Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, and Amy Desjadon “are the only ones that have been with us for four years, so they know what we want and they are just communicating that to the young ones over and over again.”
(10/10/08 8:24am)
The Virginia field hockey team will hit the road this weekend, traveling to University Park, Pa. to take on Iowa and Penn State.These non-conference foes will be a change of pace for the Cavaliers (10-3, 1-1 ACC) as they make their second road trip to battle ranked opponents. The Cavaliers will miss the contributions of freshman midfielder Paige Selenski, who is currently competing with the Junior National Team in the Pan American Junior Championship tournament in Mexico City. She was named National Rookie of the Week Monday by womensfieldhockey.com for her performances against Richmond and Maryland last week. Selenski’s team-high 13 goals this season are good enough to tie her for third in the ACC, usually considered the best conference in the country. Virginia coach Michele Madison noted, though, that the team has other players that are likely to make strong contributions this weekend.“Paige is improving every day,” coach Michele Madison said, but “it’s not just Paige; it’s [junior forward] Traci [Ragukas], [junior forward] Lauren Elstein and [sophomore forward] Kaitlyn [Hiltz].”The Cavaliers will have to rely on their experience and depth to carry them through the weekend since they do not have Selenski’s aid. Nine Cavaliers other than Selinski have scored this season, and Ragukas and senior midfielder Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn are tied for second on the team with seven goals apiece.The Cavaliers will first battle No. 5 Iowa (10-2, 2-0 Big Ten) tomorrow in a competitive matchup. Iowa’s only two losses this season have come at the hands of Wake Forest and Duke, both of whom play in the ACC. Virginia will clash with both of these schools later this season. The two teams share several coaching links. Madison served as an assistant coach at Iowa from 1982-89; the Hawkeyes advanced to four NCAA semifinals during her time with the team and won their first national title in 1986. Iowa assistant coach Meridith Thorpe, meanwhile, had a successful field hockey career at Virginia from 1995-98. Thorpe, a four-time All-American, became the seventh player in the history of Division I intercollegiate field hockey to achieve the 100-goal mark and is still the all-time leader in goals and points at Virginia and in the ACC. Additionally, Thorpe led the team to its only two national semifinal appearances in 1997 and 1998, was named Virginia’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1997 and was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary Team in 2002. She served as an assistant coach for six years at Virginia.Though Thorpe is widely considered the best player in Virginia field hockey history, tomorrow she will stand on the opposite sideline with the Hawkeyes, whom the Cavaliers defeated 1-0 in the 2006 NCAA Tournament in the teams’ last meeting.Virginia will wrap up the weekend playing No. 13 Penn State (7-4, 1-0 Big Ten) Sunday. The Nittany Lions not only beat the Cavaliers in the first game of the 2007 season but also ended their season with a 3-2 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers, however, are not intimidated by top-ranked opponents, having already faced many ranked opponents this season. Virginia is 1-1 outside of the commonwealth this season.“We get prepared for every single game the way we get prepared for every game,” redshirt freshman midfielder Pien Hulsebosch said. “It’s not a difference between away and here. We are going to play our own game. I am pretty confident about it. We have a good team.”
(10/07/08 5:59am)
The PA announcer at University Hall Turf Field has had to get used to saying Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn’s name a lot this year. The senior midfielder from the Netherlands is the backbone of the No. 10 Cavaliers, who are having one of their best seasons in recent memory.Sijpesteijn is playing her final season in Charlottesville, ending her collegiate career very differently from how she started it. Sijpesteijn began her collegiate career in 2004 in East Lansing, Mich. playing for Michigan State University under Michele Madison. In her one year at Michigan State, Sijpesteijn played in all 20 games for the Spartans, finishing second on the team in scoring with eight goals while also adding four assists. Following Madison’s hire at Virginia in 2006, Sijpesteijn made the decision to join her coach in Charlottesville. Madison is the only NCAA field hockey coach to take three teams — Michigan State, Virginia and Temple — to the NCAA Tournament, and this fact does not go unnoticed by her players.“She is the best coach I’ve ever had, [and] I didn’t want to leave her,” Sijpesteijn said of her decision to follow Madison to Virginia.Madison is more than just a coach to Sijpesteijn; she is a mentor and friend.“She gives me so much confidence in my game,” Sijpesteijn said. “And I have so much fun playing for her [because] she just wants to have fun [and wants you to] give it your all.”The addition of Sijpesteijn and Madison brought life to the Virginia program. In their first year in Charlottesville, Sijpesteijn and Madison helped lead the team to a 14-8 finish and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, its first appearance since 2001. Sijpesteijn was named a first team All-American by womensfieldhockey.com during her first year as a Cavalier, and her performance that year put her in the Virginia record books as well. Sijpesteijn netted 14 goals that season, which tied her for sixth all-time in goals for Cavalier sophomores during a single season.“Inge is just a brick wall,” Madison said. “She’s always there. She is always focused.”This season, Sijpesteijn and the rest of the Cavaliers are 10-3 so far this season, the best mark by the team after 13 games since Madison and Sijpesteijn have arrived at Virginia. Sijpesteijn leads a defense near the top of national rankings that has allowed just 1.31 goals per game.Sijpesteijn and the rest of the upperclassmen have played not only a key role on the field through their efforts to guide a freshman class that has been a big key to Virginia’s success this season.“The upperclassmen are great,” freshman midfielder Paige Selenski said. “They help us so much on the field and off the field. Our team grows so well together and we are so close. I couldn’t ask for better upperclassmen than I have.”
(10/06/08 4:07am)
The Virginia field hockey team suffered its first home-turf defeat this season in a 4-3 overtime loss to No. 1 Maryland Saturday.“It’s bittersweet,” coach Michele Madison said. “It’s good to know that we can perform against the No. 1 team in the country.”The close match featured talent on both sides of the field. Virginia’s emerging star, freshman midfielder Paige Selenski, scored two goals to give her a team-high 13 on the season. Selenski — who is on her way to Mexico City to compete in the Junior Pan-American Games with the Junior National Team — currently ranks seventh all-time in goals and is tied for second all-time in assists. Opposite Selenski and the rest of the Cavaliers was Maryland’s one-two punch: senior back Susie Rowe and sophomore forward Katie O’Donnell. The Cavaliers were able to contain the duo for most of the game, holding them to one goal each. “Katie is a great player,” Virginia sophomore forward Kaitlyn Hiltz said. “I knew it was going to be a tough game. I know that they were good girls and they fight to the end and I respect them and that is why I wanted to beat them.”The Cavaliers were in control most of the game, leading at halftime and deep into the second half. Eighteen seconds after Maryland scored its first goal, the Cavaliers responded with a goal of their own by freshman back Floor Vogels. The Cavaliers were able to outshoot Maryland 15-10 but failed to capitalize on three straight corners in the second half.“When you have a chance to win it, you have to do it, and we didn’t do it,” Madison said. “That was definitely a viable opportunity to take the game.”The Terrapins made a gutsy move and pulled their goalie for four minutes in the middle of the second half to give them 11 field players. The gamble paid off, as Maryland scored and tied the game. The goal by the Terps took the game to overtime. The Cavaliers have had a lot of experience in overtime, playing five games in extra time with a 2-2 record in those games. The Cavaliers have also played one game decided in penalty strokes, a 3-2 loss to Boston University Sept. 28.“I believe that our seven can beat any seven,” Hiltz said. “It sucks when every loss we’ve had has been in OT, but we have also come out with some wins in overtime.”Senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon played her second full game of the season Saturday, her first being the win against BC. Despite the four goals Desjadon allowed, she had a solid performance. With a strong offense competing against a talented defense, something had to give. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the game did not swing in their favor. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers did not back down and proved they can play with the best in the country. “This game meant a lot to us,” Hiltz said. “I think we showed today that we can compete with that caliber, and that is clearly our goal for this season and every season forward.”
(10/02/08 5:49am)
The Virginia field hockey team triumphed 7-1 against Richmond at the University Hall Turf Field last night, tying its season high for goals scored in a game. The No. 10 Cavaliers (10-2, 1-0 ACC) also reached another milestone last night: Virginia’s final goal in its 12 game of the season last night was its 42nd so far this season, already surpassing the team’s 2007 total of 41. Twelve games into last season, Virginia had registered just 21 goals.Freshman midfielder Paige Selenski paved the way against Richmond with two goals and three assists, both game-highs; her two goals give her a team-leading 11 on the season.Despite her freshman status, Selenski has been playing consistently beyond her years throughout this season; she comes up with big goals when the team needs them most. She showed her talent Wednesday, weaving through defenders as if they were standing still.“Paige is pretty good,” senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon said. “If you watch a game, Paige outruns everyone on our team and everyone on the other team. We tease her that if she didn’t have a stick she would be falling over.”Five other Cavaliers joined Selenski in putting the ball in the cage, two of whom were veteran leaders junior forward Traci Ragukas and senior midfielder Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, who are tied for second on the team in goals with seven apiece.The Cavaliers came out of the gates a little sluggish, as if the game was a formality before they take on No. 1 Maryland Saturday; they did not score until the 17:35 mark of the first half; however, the floodgates opened late in the first half and remained that way coming out of halftime, as the Cavaliers poured in six goals in a span of 18:53.Virginia was able to score several of its goals by way of the short corner, as it out-cornered Richmond 12-3. Virginia coach Michele Madison’s group has taken advantage of these situations all year; the Cavaliers currently rank first in the ACC and 10th in the nation in penalty corners per game.“We need to convert on [short corners] because it’s the easiest chance we are going to get to put a ball in the back of the net,” Desjadon said.The Spiders’ only shot on goal of the second half came off a corner. Despite the goal by Richmond junior forward Sarah Blythe-Wood, the Virginia defense played a stellar game. Even though Virginia’s offense is one of the best in the NCAA, its pressing defense deserves just as much credit by putting the offense in a good position to score and make plays.From the goalkeeper position, Desjadon led the way, playing the first half and the first 15 minutes of the second half. She currently leads the nation in goals against average. Desjadon presently splits time in goal with sophomore goalkeeper Devon Burnley; however, Desjadon looks to prove herself and may get the nod to play the whole game against Maryland. The senior has played almost twice as many minutes as Burnley while allowing one fewer goal.“We will see how they practice the next few days,” Madison said, adding that Desjadon and Burnley “are neck in neck in terms of what they can do. [Desjadon] is definitely on a high now.”This confidence booster could serve the Cavaliers well when they play their biggest game of the season thus far against Maryland Saturday at the Turf Field.
(09/30/08 4:24am)
Charlottesville has been the place to play thus far for the Virginia field hockey team, which remains undefeated at home this season.The No. 8 field hockey team (9-2, 1-0 ACC) returns home to take on Richmond tomorrow at the University Hall Turf Field at 6 p.m.“We are pretty strong having home field advantage,” freshman midfielder Paige Selenski said. “I feel pretty confident playing at home the next two games.”The Spiders have had a disappointing season so far going 3-6 (0-0 Atlantic 10) this season. One bright spot was a 2-1 Sept. 26 victory against No. 14 American University in Washington, D.C. The Spiders could not translate the big win against American into momentum, though, as they were dismantled at Maryland to the tune of 7-0 just two days later.Now, after having just faced one tough ACC squad in the Terrapins, the Spiders have to turn around and take on another strong ACC opponent in the Cavaliers. The Spiders seem to have the talent to play with good teams. They took No. 7 James Madison to overtime and lost, just as Virginia did, and only lost 2-1 to No. 16 Princeton. The Cavaliers cannot afford to overlook the Spiders in trying to remain undefeated at home.The Cavaliers will regain the support of freshman back Floor Vogels, who pulled her hamstring against Boston College and sat out the Boston University game. Virginia split its last two games in the Boston area, defeating No. 12 Boston College 2-1 and then losing a heartbreaker 3-2 to Boston this past weekend. The loss came in the second set of penalty strokes when the Terriers out-scored Virginia 7-5. “I felt like our focus going into the games wasn’t really on,” Selenski said. “I think our focus [was more] on Boston College than Boston University so I think we just got caught off guard.”Despite out-shooting and out-cornering Boston, Virginia was unable to capitalize on many opportunities because of Terrier sophomore goalkeeper Kim Kastuk, who had a career-high 13 saves; however, Virginia senior midfielder Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn and junior forward Traci Ragukas both notched their sixth goals of the season. The game against Boston saw the return of midfielder Michelle Vittese, one of Virginia’s talented freshmen, who contributed with a penalty stroke.The first half of the trip to Boston was a success as the Cavaliers got their first conference win of the year, defeating Boston College 2-1 in two extra periods. The Cavaliers pulled out the victory despite the fact that Boston College took more corner shots and more shots on goal. The game marked the first time Virginia had beaten the Eagles (6-2, 0-2 ACC) in the regular season since 2004. “We have improved on our performance every day and that is what we are all about,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “You want to be the best team you can be at the end. It doesn’t matter the opponent you play; it matters what you are doing.”The Cavaliers will need to continue to improve their play in order to keep pace in the ACC. Their next conference game is against No. 3 Maryland Saturday. This past weekend the ACC beat up on itself, as No. 3 Maryland defeated No. 1 Wake Forest 4-2, and No. 5 North Carolina overcame No. 9 Duke 2-1. The ACC in field hockey is easily comparable to the SEC in football. Every week is a battle; there are no guarantees, and nobody is taken for granted.“The ACC is a hard conference, so if we lose one, we have to catch up,” Sijpesteijn said. “There are no easy opponents.”
(09/25/08 4:06am)
The field hockey team will hit the road this weekend to take on No. 12 Boston College and Boston University.Friday’s matchup with the Eagles marks the beginning of conference play for the Cavaliers, a stretch of their schedule that boasts five of the current top 10 teams in the country. No. 8 Virginia (8-1) has yet to play a game outside of the commonwealth this season; Virginia’s lone road match came against James Madison, which resulted in the team’s only loss thus far. These two games will be a good test for the young team to see how far they have come so far this season.“I think we are further ahead than we were last year at this point, but we still have a lot of room to grow,” senior back Lucy Meyers said. “I feel like we are there talent-wise; we just have to put it together.”The Cavaliers will look to improve upon their dismal ACC record in recent years, as they have won just two games in conference since 2003; both of those victories came in the last two years under coach Michele Madison. In the two years under Madison, however, Virginia has not seen success against either Boston College or Boston University. This is the third consecutive season that the Cavaliers will take on Boston College and Boston University in the same weekend in late September; in each of the last two years, Virginia ended the weekend with two losses. Last year’s losses came at home, while in 2006 the team was swept in Boston on a trip that the team commonly termed “the Boston massacre.”Virginia will first look to shake its lack of success historically, both in conference and in Boston, against the Eagles (6-1, 0-1 ACC). Boston College is 3-0 at home so far this season, but the team had a poor showing to begin conference play, falling 0-5 to then-No. 2 Maryland last weekend. In addition, though Boston College has had Virginia’s number in regular-season play, the Cavaliers have defeated the Eagles in the first round of the ACC Tournament each of the last two years, earning a 3-2 upset in extra time in 2007 and a 2-1 victory in 2006.This looks to be a highly competitive game that will set the tone for the remainder of Virginia’s ACC schedule. The Cavaliers will use their experience garnered from their competitive games against JMU and Ohio to help them get through the games in Boston.“I think it was definitely good experience to get under our belts,” senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon said. “Because BC is a no-BS team.”Boston University, however, is a less imposing squad than BC. The Terriers are currently 3-5 and are coming off a close win against Central Michigan 1-0 and a one-sided 1-5 loss to No. 6 Iowa. Virginia, however, has never beaten Boston University, posting an 0-3 record all-time against the Terriers.“Boston is no joke, and now we know not to take anyone lightly,” Meyers said. “Start off at minute one and finish. Now we know that we can’t take anything for granted.”Virginia will rely on the experience of its upperclassmen, namely the seniors, to pull the team through this tough stretch of games. Madison said she has great faith in her seniors and knows nothing can replace experience on the turf; seniors Meyers, Desjadon, and Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn will be key in the team’s success for the rest of the season.The Cavaliers have yet to play the heart of their schedule; most notably, Virginia hosts No. 2 Maryland Oct. 4 and No. 1 Wake Forest Oct. 25. The Cavs hope to use the trip to Boston as a stepping stone for the remainder of the difficult conference schedule.“I think experience is definitely key because you learn not to overlook teams,” Desjadon said. “You can be better than the team but you can never be better than the game.”
(09/22/08 4:00am)
The Virginia field hockey team extended its home winning streak to eight Sunday with a 2-1 overtime victory against Ohio.Junior forward Traci Ragukas and freshman midfielder Paige Selenski led the way with a goal each. Selenksi’s goal, her team-leading seventh on the season, came in overtime, a few minutes after she missed a wide-open shot that would have ended the game.“She did everything right,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “Everything we work on except put it in the goal. She redeemed herself with more her style of hockey with a big hit from the outside.”The tone was set from the beginning, when the Bobcats put the first goal of the game in the cage. After Ohio scored, the Cavaliers became a little anxious on offense and could not capitalize on any opportunities. Despite being unranked, Ohio did not seem intimidated playing the No. 8 team in the country.“Ohio definitely flustered us and got under our skin a little bit,” senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon said. “They are a really good block tackling team, and that is something we need to work on.”The Bobcats had just come off a 4-0 loss to Wake Forest Saturday. Despite the Bobcats’ 2-4 record coming into the game, the Cavaliers did not take their opponent lightly.“You have to take every team for what they are worth because every dog has their day,” Desjadon said. “If you are on top, everyone wants to take you down.”The Bobcats were able to hang with the Cavaliers in the first half. When the second half opened, however, Virginia showed its resilience and came out with renewed confidence. The Cavaliers were able to wear down the Ohio defense, outcornering the Bobcats 14-2 and outshooting them 21-2. The Cavalier defense only allowed two shots on the day, one of which found the back of the net. Despite the loss, Ohio’s senior goalkeeper Jessie Martin recorded 12 saves, denying the Cavaliers many opportunities to score.This matchup was a good test for the Cavaliers, who will play their conference opener against Boston College Friday.“I think we definitely have the talent,” Desjadon said. “We have to know not to take anyone for granted. We have the skill but you need to be able to back it up all day every day.”The Cavaliers will have to move on without freshman midfielder Michelle Vittese for the next couple of weeks while she recovers from an injury. Because of Vittese’s injury, she also will not be able compete in the Pan American games in Mexico City with the Junior National Team this fall. Her presence on the field will be missed, considering she is currently fourth on the team in points.“If you have a real team then people around step up, and that’s what it’s time for everyone else to do, step up and contribute,” Madison said. “It took a while to adjust to. [Sophomore midfielder] Haley [Carpenter] stepped it up in the Kent game. [Freshman back] Rachel [Jennings] stepped it up today. Other players will step up and fill the hole that she left.”
(09/19/08 6:09am)
The Virginia field hockey kept its 27-game — now 28-game — unbeaten streak against Virginia Commonwealth alive as the Cavaliers trounced the Rams 3-0 last night at the University Hall Turf Field.The Cavaliers (7-1) also extended their home winning streak to seven games. The shutout was the third of the season recorded by the tandem of senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon and sophomore goalkeeper Devon Burnley.The Cavaliers controlled the game from the first whistle. Despite a stout defensive showing from VCU, Virginia was able to find the back of the net three times. The Cavaliers outshot the Rams 17-1 and out-cornered them 6-1.Virginia’s first goal came just three minutes into the game. Regardless of VCU senior goalkeeper Laura Baker’s impressive 0.789 save percentage, which ranks her 14th in the country, the Cavaliers were able to toy with the experienced senior. She was, however, able to come up with nine saves in the losing effort.Senior midfield/back Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn led the way with two goals, giving her five on the year, and freshman midfielder/forward Paige Selenski was able to find the back of the net for a team-leading sixth time this season. For most of the night, the Cavalier offensive attack was running on all cylinders.At some points during the game, however, the Cavaliers did not seem very patient as they hastily pushed the ball down the field instead of working it around and finding a good shot.“We can play better than we did,” redshirt freshman midfielder Pien Hulsebosch said. “Even though sometimes you don’t play the best teams, you just have to keep going and going.”During the Cavaliers’ mostly dominating performance against the Rams, the players were able improve their individual games and work on certain aspects that will help them in the future, such as being a more cohesive team on the field.“We were able to possess the ball and we tried another press today,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “They were more of a unit than they have been in the past.”The Cavaliers will wrap up their four-game home stand playing Ohio University Sunday at 1 p.m.Virginia will have to play without freshman midfielder Michelle Vittese, who has an undisclosed injury that has held her out of the past few games. Vittese is tied for third on the team in goals. Someone will likely step up and fill the void in Madison’s everyone-plays system.The Bobcats are winless at 0-3 all-time against the Cavaliers. The last matchup between the two teams was in 2006 when Ohio fell to Virginia 3-1.Virginia will be looking to extend its home winning streak to eight games, while the Bobcats will be looking to even their 2-3 record on the season. Ohio’s subpar record has partly manifested itself because of a grueling schedule. Ohio has lost to James Madison, Ohio State, and Louisville, all of which are ranked. Virginia also fell 1-0 to JMU, though the Cavaliers took that game into double overtime.Before the Bobcats come to Charlottesville, they will have to battle yet another tough opponent in No. 1 Wake Forest tomorrow at 1 p.m. Indeed, the recurring theme in field hockey seems to be the ACC. Five of the top 10 teams in the country, including Virginia, are from the ACC, so Virginia has a grueling schedule of its own coming up. With so many good teams, it is hard to tell who is the best.“Wake Forest is putting up the wins,” Madison said. Big East team “Syracuse is putting up the wins. Syracuse beat Maryland. I think it’s anyone’s game; I think it’s wide open. Conference play will tell.”Madison seems to feel she couldn’t be in a better situation at Virginia despite the tough competition the Cavaliers face. She has athletes who love to compete and constantly want to get better.“This is the best team to coach,” Madison said.
(09/18/08 4:58am)
The No. 8 Virginia field hockey team will seek to protect an undefeated home record when it takes on in-state rival Virginia Commonwealth tonight at 6 p.m. at the University Hall Turf Field.The Cavaliers (6-1) will look to ride the momentum of their two victories over the weekend against Kent State and No. 15 Louisville. Four different Cavaliers were able to get on the board on the weekend, including senior midfielder Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, who was able to tally a goal in both games, earning a spot on the womensfieldhockey.com honor roll.The Rams (4-2) split their weekend games, losing 2-0 to St. Joseph’s and then bouncing back to defeat Penn 3-1. The Cavaliers won the last meeting between the two teams 3-1 last year, and VCU, in fact, has yet to win a game against the Cavaliers, posting an 0-27 record all-time against Virginia. This season, however, VCU senior goalkeeper Laura Baker leads a goalkeeping corps that ranks 14th in the nation in save percentage (.787), whereas Virginia goalkeepers sophomore Devon Burnley and senior Amy Desjadon rank 25th (.750). “In history we are the better team,” Sijpesteijn said. “When we start the game it is 0-0 and from then on we play our system.”The Cavaliers do not plan to look past this game even though VCU has been overmatched in the past.“You get ready for every game the exact same, no matter who you are playing,” junior forward Lauren Elstein said. “It doesn’t matter if you are playing the best in the country or the worst, you still have to run your system.”In other words, Virginia will be ready to play tonight.“Every day they get better,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “The great thing is they keep asking questions. They are never happy with anything; they always want to make it better, and that is a good sign.”Already, the Cavaliers boast one of the best offenses in the country; they are currently ranked in the top 10 for goals per game and assists per game. Virginia out-scores opponents by an average of more than 2.5 goals per game this season and has outscored its opponents 26-8 overall. Ten Cavaliers have scored on the year, with freshman forward/midfielder Paige Selenski leading the way with five goals. Junior forward Traci Raguskas and freshman midfielder/forward Michelle Vittese have each added four goals.This year’s Cavalier squad is arguably the best team Virginia has fielded since 1998, when coach Missi Sanders led the team to an 18-5 record and the NCAA semifinals, where they lost to Old Dominion 3-0.When Madison was asked if this is her best team at Virginia, she responded “yes.”“We just have a lot more strengths, let’s put it that way,” she added. “The players who were here; Inge [Kaars Sijpesteijn] and [senior midfielder] Lucy [Meyers], they know how the system works. The young ones stepped in and learned [the system] fast.”The Cavaliers conclude their home stand this weekend with a game against Ohio University Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Turf Field. The team will then hit the road, playing six of its remaining 10 games outside of Charlottesville. Virginia’s toughest competition on the schedule is yet to come; the Cavaliers have five top-10 teams left to play on their schedule, with notable home games against No. 1 Wake Forest and No. 2 Maryland.
(09/16/08 6:22am)
Despite losing a heartbreaking thriller to James Madison last Wednesday, this past weekend the No. 8 Virginia field hockey team once again proved why it is one of the best teams in the country.This stretch of games marked the only time this season the Cavaliers will play three games in five days. The Cavaliers (6-1) met the challenge, defeating Kent State 4-2 Saturday and No. 13 Louisville 4-2 Sunday.“We just reevaluated what we needed to work on, what broke down and what we need to fix,” junior forward Lauren Elstein said. “I think all of that hard work really paid off the last two days.”The first game of the weekend was a hard-fought battle against Kent State (4-3). The Golden Flashes got on the board first with a goal in the fourth minute of the game. The goal by Kent State marked just the second time the Cavaliers have trailed all season. Virginia responded with two goals in the first half and another two in the second half while the Golden Flashes could only muster one more goal in the second half. Junior forward Traci Ragukas, who scored her fourth goal of the season, also celebrated her birthday Saturday. The Cavaliers exhibited their versatility and once again showed why everyone on the team plays: Virginia’s four goals were scored by four different players.“The offense has gotten so much better,” Elstein said. “We have gotten a lot more chemistry. We have been creating more space, which has been huge.”Virginia concluded the weekend against Louisville (3-2). Virginia got on the board first against the Cardinals with a penalty corner by freshman back Floor Vogels.“They weren’t stepping up on that side so I let [Vogels] take a rip at it,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “It makes a difference when you can put your corners in.”Overall, the Cavaliers looked as good as they had all year in the first half, getting out to a 3-1 lead against a solid and ranked Louisville squad; however, this was not the case in the second half. Virginia seemed to run out of gas, allowing the Cardinals to out-corner them 9-2. The Cavaliers’ sluggish play eventually allowed Louisville to take more corners in the game, 11 to 7, marking the first time an opponent has done so this season.The defense, however, remained a strong point of play for the Cavaliers during the second half. Once again, sophomore goalkeeper Devon Burnley and senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon split time in goal. Desjadon recorded a season-high nine saves in the second half. Though the defense remained tough, another statistic shows a slight decline since the beginning of the season: The Cavaliers allowed four goals in the two games during the weekend, whereas they only allowed four goals in their first five games of the year.“We just need to stay tight in the back and be organized early,” Elstein said. “I think as long as we do that [the defense] will take care of business.”Despite the two wins this weekend, the Cavaliers believe they have a lot of work to do on both sides of the field, especially as the team prepares for more road games. “Hopefully we have all of the kinks out before then,” Madison said. “Playing on the road is always difficult, we are just grateful to have the games at home. So we just have to take advantage of it.”So far the Cavaliers have had the luxury of playing at home for six of their first seven games. While the Cavaliers have capitalized on their games at home, the Cavaliers lack the road experience they will need later in the season for the ACC Tournament — and perhaps also the NCAA Tournament.The field hockey team will be back in action this Thursday at the University Hall Turf Field against in-state rival Virginia Commonwealth.
(09/12/08 9:28am)
If Wahoos are tired of watching the football team’s foibles, they may want to check out the University Hall Turf Field this weekend. After opening their season with a 4-1 record, the No. 8 Virginia field hockey team will battle against non-conference foes Kent State and No. 13 Louisville this weekend. Fresh off a heartbreaking 1-0 overtime loss to JMU in Harrisonburg, Va., the Cavaliers will be looking to regain their composure by playing at home.“It’s always tough to play on the road because the turf conditions are different,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “That is why when you are at home, you have to take advantage of being home.”It took two extra periods for the game against JMU to be decided, and in the end, JMU was able to harness its own home-field advantage. The Cavaliers were unable to capitalize on several opportunities as they outshot their opponent 17-16. JMU’s All-American junior goalkeeper Kelsey Cutchins was able to keep the Cavaliers off the scoreboard, recording five saves. “I thought it was a great game,” sophomore goalkeeper Devon Burnley said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t finish.”The Cavaliers will use the loss as a learning tool for the season. The young team gained valuable experience by playing in a hostile environment against one of the best teams in the country.There will be no rest for the weary; Virginia needs to shake off its loss and prepare for this weekend’s set of tough games. The Cavaliers will look to bounce back against Kent State Saturday. The Golden Flashes are currently 4-1 on the season and eager for a marquee win. Virginia will have to avoid a hangover from its loss and make sure it executes its game plan and takes care of business.“It’s going to be a tough weekend, so we need to refocus and pull it back together,” Burnley said.Virginia will conclude the weekend Sunday by facing No. 13 Louisville. The Cardinals are 3-1 with victories against ranked teams Duke, Ohio and Ohio State. The Cardinals pose the biggest threat to the Cavaliers this weekend.Virginia will look to draw on its array of talent to carry it through the weekend. The Cavaliers have a very balanced attack, which allows everyone to contribute, as evidenced by the fact that Virginia’s 18 goals have been scored by nine different players. Despite the loss to JMU, the Cavaliers should still be considered a solid team, as the Dukes are a good team themselves.Virginia seeks to focus on the basics to get back on a winning track this weekend.“This weekend I think we are just going to stick to our gameplan, work on our basic skills, and just rejuvenate for the upcoming week,” Burnley said.
(09/08/08 9:40am)
If you wanted to see a dominating performance by a Virginia sports team this weekend, University Hall Turf Field was the place to be. The Virginia women’s field hockey team put on two spectacular performances this weekend, extending its season-opening winning streak to four.In doing so, Virginia avenged last season’s 3-1 loss to the Monarchs. The Cavaliers’ victory against No. 8 Old Dominion 2-0 Sunday marked the first time they had won in the last 12 games between the two schools. Despite ODU’s higher ranking, the Cavaliers were not intimidated; Virginia came out firing on all cylinders, playing most of the first half on the Monarchs’ side of the field.“[Coach Michele Madison] said there was no pressure on us.” freshman midfielder Paige Selenski said. “She just gave us a bit of confidence (and told us) that we were the better team.”In the second half, however, it was the freshman tandem of Selenski and freshman midfielder Michelle Vittese who stole the show. Once again the youngsters electrified the crowd, each contributing a goal to the winning effort.“It was just one of those things where someone had to break the ice,” Madison said. “We were getting the opportunities, so once you get the opportunities the possibility is there and they just had to take the shot.” Sophomore goalkeeper Devon Burnley and senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon were once again unstoppable forces. Their defense was stellar, only allowing one shot while recording their second shutout of the season.The Cavaliers had another impressive showing against Vermont Friday, downing the Catamounts 7-2 with the highest goal tally in Madison’s tenure. The Cavaliers got on the board first with a goal by senior midfielder Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn — her first of the season. Junior forward Traci Ragukas and Vittese recorded two goals each, and Freshman back Floor Vogels notched her first goal of the season. “It’s not about the scoreboard; it’s about what we are doing on the field and we are just trying to make that better,” Madison said. “The season is long and there are so many areas we have to get better at, and today was just another opportunity to improve.”The Cavaliers looked like one of the best teams in the country after their showings over the weekend. After Virginia’s performance against ODU Sunday, the Cavaliers are sure to be on everyone’s radar.The Cavaliers take their undefeated record on the road and leave the friendly confines of University Hall Turf Field this Wednesday when they face in-state rival and powerhouse No.7 James Madison University. Despite the upcoming challenge, the Cavaliers’ record thus far has demonstrated the team’s potential.“It just shows that our team is built up of a lot of really strong players,” Selenski said. “We all work together real well; we make each other look good.”
(09/05/08 7:40am)
The Virginia women’s field hockey team heads into the weekend 2-0 (0-0 ACC) and ranked No. 11 in the country by the STX/NFHCA Division 1 Coaches Poll. To remain undefeated, the Cavaliers will have to defeat Vermont and Old Dominion at home.Senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon and sophomore goalkeeper Devon Burnley will look to continue their defensive dominance. The pair allowed only one goal total during last weekend’s two games, in which the Cavalier defense held opponents to just six shots.Beating Old Dominion Sunday at 1 p.m. will be no small task for the Cavaliers, who currently trail the Monarchs in the series 8-32. Old Dominion has won the last 11 games in the series, and the Monarchs are currently ranked No. 8 in the country. However, Old Dominion dropped games to No. 6 Penn State and No. 18 Syracuse last weekend, by scores of 2-0 and 5-0 respectively. The Cavaliers also will have the added incentive of looking to avenge last year’s 1-3 loss to the Monarchs.“We have to hit the drawing board first, see film, see where the breakdowns were, see how they got a shot and how they got into the circle,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said. “We are excited to play [and] that is why we practice.”Virginia put on dominating performances last weekend against William & Mary and Providence, though neither school has as successful a program as Old Dominion. Before facing Old Dominion, though, the Cavaliers will be up against Vermont. The game Friday will be the second meeting between the two schools. Virginia won the previous meeting last season in the Sheraton Catamount Classic 2-1.The Catamounts lost their season opener to No. 13 Boston College last Sunday 1-4.. A win against Vermont will be less daunting than against a power such as Old Dominion. Regardless of the opponent, though, the Cavaliers will continue to take the approach of focusing on its own preparations, rather than focusing on the opponent.“We will come out and run through all of our drills and we will mainly focus on what we do as opposed to what the other team does,” senior midfielder/back Lucy Myers said. “Just work on our basics.”The Cavaliers will once again look to All-American senior midfielder Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn to lead the team on the field. Kaars Sijpesteijn will be seeking her first goal of the season after recording an assist against Providence. Additionally, Virginia will look for freshmen midfielders Paige Selenski and Michelle Vittese to be crucial components of the team’s success, as they were last weekend when they accounted for three of Virginia’s nine goals during its two games.The players have attributed their success on the field so far to Madison’s ability to create a cohesive team. “I think she has made us mentally tough and made us really come together as a team which is what we need: chemistry between everyone,” Myers said.
(09/02/08 1:13am)
Defense was the name of the game at Turf Field this weekend. The Virginia women’s field hockey team put on a suffocating defensive performance, beating William & Mary 5-0 Friday and following that up with a 4-1 victory against Providence Sunday. Virginia’s defense allowed a meager four shots on goal throughout the weekend.“We were able to come up with a lot of turnovers,” Virginia coach Michele Madison said, “with a lot of pressure and a lot of work off of the ball.” Virginia uses a two-goalkeeper system of senior Amy Desjadon and sophomore Devon Burnley that has proven effective so far in combination with a strong backfield: William & Mary and Providence both failed to get a shot on goal in the first half of their respective games. “I think we have been working a lot on communicating between each other and stepping up in certain areas,” senior midfielder Lucy Meyers said. “So when [the defense] steps up, everyone else can step up.” Strong defense helped Virginia dominate the possession battle against Providence and give the offense plenty of time and opportunity. The Cavaliers got a slow start against Providence, netting only two goals in the first period after seeing many opportunities pass them by. “The first half we started out a little slow but then we came out in the second half and scored two goals in the first three minutes,” Meyers said. “You have to think that is pretty good execution.” Despite not scoring a goal Sunday against the Friars, junior midfield/forward Traci Ragukas contributed by overpowering the Providence defenders, clearing the way for scoring chances. Freshman midfielder Paige Selenski led the way over the weekend with a goal against both William & Mary and Providence. Though Virginia got off to a slow start Sunday, it had no problem dismantling the Tribe earlier in the weekend.Virginia got off to a quick start against William & Mary with goals in the fourth minute and 12th minute by Selenski and sophomore midfielder Taylor Swezey. So far this season Virginia has outshot its opponents on goal by a margin of 27-4. The Cavaliers also boast more penalty corners than their opponents by a margin of 13-4.“We were trying to go with the simple obvious passes,” Madison said. “We were trying to build the attack.” The freshman class — in combination with the leadership of Meyers and senior midfield/back Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn — has guided the Cavaliers to their first two wins. “Everyone is contributing; that is why everyone plays,” Madison said. “That is our goal for everyone: to contribute and add to the execution.” Among the freshmen standouts is midfielder Michele Vittese, who also contributed a goal to the winning effort against Providence this weekend. “They are like little spark plugs,” Meyers said of the team’s freshmen. “They are so fast, and they have a lot of experience so they have helped everyone else step up in their areas.” Despite dominating performances at home, the Cavaliers still have a lot to work on as they approach the heart of their non-conference schedule, which continues at home next weekend against Vermont and No. 8 Old Dominion.
(08/28/08 10:08pm)
The Virginia field hockey team opens the 2008 campaign with things old and new.Home games against long-time, in-state rival William & Mary at 2 p.m Friday and against Providence, an opponent the Cavaliers have not faced seen 1992, at 3:30 p.m Sunday at the Turf Field open another season in the young Virginia career of coach Michele Madison.Though the NCAA Tournament sits on the far side of a demanding schedule, the No. 11 Cavaliers must not lose focus in either impassioned, in-state rivals or new, uncertain opponents if they wish to reach their goal of a third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Though the coaching staff has been a boon to the program, success requires talent and experience between the boxes, on both sides of the ball. These tough first two games will be a good test for the Cavaliers with the added value of giving Madison a change to gauge how the Cavalier youth have adapted to college field hockey. “The first game will be a test of wills and opportunity,” Madison said. “I imagine there will be mistakes on both sides of the ball, and the team that takes advantage of those mistakes will win.”This youthful Cavalier team will look to its experienced upperclassmen to carry them through the weekend and remain unscathed in the first two games of a four-game homestand to start the season. The Cavaliers return 12 lettermen from last season including two-time All-American senior back Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, 2007 All-Region midfielder Traci Ragukas and 2007 All-Rookie team midfielder Shelly Edmonds. Ragukas and Sijpesteijn were first and second on the team in goals scored last season. This season’s squad includes a mix of ready talent and proven veterans that should continue the steady rise of Virginia field hockey in one of the toughest conferences in the country.The Cavaliers welcome eight recruits to the team this year. The standouts of the recruiting class include United States junior national team members freshmen midfielders Paige Selenski and Michelle Vittese.“My expectations are very high for the season,” senior Amy Desjadon. “The first-years we have coming in picked up the system very quickly.”The Cavaliers are anxious to begin the season after months of hard work and inter-squad scrimmages. “I am excited to get the season started,” Madison said. “We have been through nine months of hard work for three months of performances. After playing 25 sessions against each other in preseason, we are looking forward to playing against an opponent not in orange or blue.”The Cavaliers will be tested in their non-conference slate in preparation for the grueling ACC schedule. “We will see different looks of hockey,” Madison said. “We will see different styles of play. It challenges us to develop different areas of our game.”At perhaps the beginning of a new long-distance rivalry Sunday, Virginia will face Providence, which finished with a 14-8 record last season. The Friars return 17 lettermen and look to be a formidable opponent for the young Cavaliers, having succeeded last season where Virginia could not, defeating Boston College 3-0 in Newton, Mass. The Cavaliers are 2-0 all-time against the Friars, and the last matchup resulted in a 2-1 Cavalier victory in two extra periods.Friday’s match against William & Mary, which returns 15 lettermen, including six starters, from the team’s 9-10 season last year, will continue an I-64 showdown that will draw most of its excitement from the regional, rather than national, implications of its outcome. The Cavaliers will look to not only prove themselves, but also to show they are the dominant team in the commonwealth of Virginia.In last year’s rendition of this historic in-state rivalry, the Cavaliers beat the Tribe 2-1, as now-senior Lucy Meyers led the way with two goals.“Those games are never easy because everyone fights for in-state bragging rights,” Madison said. “All those games will be a battle because of that.”
(08/27/08 9:22pm)
The Virginia women’s field hockey team is looking to veteran leadership to steer an underclassmen-dominated roster.Coach Michele Madison is in her third year coaching at Virginia and 20th year overall after coming from Michigan State. Her system has proven results, having led Virginia to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Madison will look to seniors Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn and Lucy Meyers to help the young players master the system, so athletes quickly will come to put the team’s concerns ahead of those of individual players. The faster everyone buys into the system, the quicker they will be able to contribute on the field. “We are trying to [make] the system better,” Madison said, “so we are just going to speed things up and get the execution better and have more depth at the positions.” Madison has great expectations for All-Americans Sijpesteijn and Meyers. Kaars Sijpesteijn followed Madison from Michigan State and has spent three years under Madison’s leadership; she is once again expected to put up big numbers. “I expect them to be superstars and lead by example like they do every day,” Madison said. “They work diligently day in and day out every minute of practice; you never have to spur them on, along with Traci Ragukas and Lauren Elstein who are the two third-year students. They are the same — they just work really hard [and] that is what we are banking on.” Ragukas led the team in goals scored with 13 last season and is once again expected to be a leader on and off the field. The departure of seniors Abby Taylor and Katherine Bounds create chances for other players to step up prove themselves. “We lost Abby Taylor in the back, and as far as communication and knowledge of the system as it would be on paper, she was one of the best,” senior goalkeeper Amy Desjadon said, “but sophomore Shelley Edmonds and freshman Floor Vogels are picking [the system] up quickly. We have some shy girls that need to not be afraid to yell at one another on the field.” Madison will look to some new and old faces to step up and fill the voids this year.“Devon Burnley steps up,” Madison said, “as well as Amy Desjadon; you can never buy what a fifth-year brings you because they have just been around the longest.” Even though the Cavaliers are slim on collegiate experience, many of the underclassmen have international and outside experience. Freshmen Paige Selenski and Michele Vittese were both named to the United States Junior National Team. Along with Selenski and Vittese, sophomore Kaitlyn Hiltz, sophomore Shelly Edmonds and freshman Rachel Jennings were invited to the USA’s Field Hockey’s Junior National Camp. The fresh young talent will bring new energy and enthusiasm that they hope will help carry the team. The season looks promising as the Cavaliers’ mix of young talent with veteran leadership is working well heading into their Friday game against William & Mary. The Cavaliers have set their sights on an NCAA Championship and will accept nothing less.
(08/23/08 6:21am)
Back-to-back NCAA appearances for the Virginia women’s field hockey team under coach Michele Madison may be twice as nice, but three might spell dynasty. Madison is the only coach in collegiate field hockey history to take three different teams to the NCAA Tournament. Now, in her third year at Virginia, Madison returns her entire coaching staff and returns a core of veteran players invested in a successful system. ”She is an amazing coach,” senior Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn said. “She knows mentally how to hit the right spots.”Madison’s returning core consists of five upperclassmen and 15 underclassmen. Among the returning upperclassmen are All-American senior Sijpesteijn and senior Lucy Meyers, who are expected to lead this young team. The Cavaliers also welcome back juniors Traci Ragukas, last season’s leading goal scorer, and Lauren Elstein. Many of the incoming freshmen will have to learn on their feet if the team is to be successful this season; however, many of the incoming freshmen already have international and outside experience.“I don’t think we are behind the eight ball as far as lack of experience,” senior Amy Desjadon said. “We have two girls, freshman Paige Selenski and freshman Michelle Vittese, who were on the United States team. They picked the system pretty early, so I don’t feel like we are that inexperienced.”Desjadon will use her invaluable experience as a fifth-year senior to communicate to the underclassmen and bring them up to speed. Virginia is no stranger to tough competition; once again the Cavaliers have a challenging schedule, with 10 of 19 opponents having made the NCAA Tournament last year. The tough schedule can be attributed in part to that fact that they also play in the toughest conference in the country, where five out the six teams in the conference made the NCAA Tournament last year.“It’s the best field hockey in the country,” Madison said. “We don’t know when we are going to get to that national championship game, but when we get there we want to be ready, and the schedule is one way of getting us ready.”The team looks to improve in the ACC after posting one win last year and two in the last five years.“We used to be completely overlooked,” Desjadon said. ”I think the ACC has taken us seriously in the past couple of years.”The Cavaliers’ non-conference schedule will prepare the team for its grueling ACC slate; the Cavaliers will see strong opponents such as Boston University and Iowa, who won the Big Ten last year. Such diversity will allow the Cavaliers to see varying styles of play.“We will see different looks of hockey,” Madison said. “It challenges us to develop different areas of our game.”The Cavaliers will be tested early by in-state rivals William & Mary, Old Dominion and James Madison within the first two weeks of the season. Despite the challenges ahead, the Cavaliers maintain an optimistic outlook.“My expectations are high for this season,” Desjadon said. “I think we are miles ahead of where we were last year.”
(04/23/08 4:00am)
Kevin Coale is the kind of player every team values -- one with an infectious attitude and dedication from day one of preseason practice. Unfortunately, he has also broken his foot three times, had surgery? and been sidelined at one of the best lacrosse schools in the country. This is not what the junior midfielder? envisioned when he was recruited to play lacrosse at Virginia; however, the oft-injured Coale has viewed his injuries as an opportunity to grow as person and become a role model for the entire team.