Virginia's nearly two-month unbeaten run finally came to an end.
"It was definitely uncomfortable because people were squeezing in really tight. The people working there kept saying, ‘It’s not our fault, it’s our bosses,’ but they also kept telling us to ‘scoot back,’ and if we did that, it would’ve made us even more cramped.”
“At the end of the day, it’s all belief,” Elliott said. “The heart of a champion doesn’t mean you’re perfect… but you believe beyond your circumstances.”
The loss was the Cavaliers’ first of the season.
The loss on the men’s side comes with a springboard-sized caveat — since Virginia no longer sponsors varsity diving, Florida’s divers competed completely uncontested and were still able to score toward the dual.
“Really disappointing to give up a goal inside five minutes and not take all three points," Coach George Gelnovatch said. "It feels like a loss.”
The Cavaliers fell flat in frustrating fashion Thursday night.
The Cavaliers enter the contest ranked higher than the Tar Heels for the first time since 2017.
With standout talent graduated from both the Cavalier and Gator rosters, both individual races and relays will be closer this go around, according to Coach Todd DeSorbo.
Even off the field and in academics, Lempers’ competitive spirit pushes her forward.
But were O’Leary to get to build that player instead of choosing just one, whose skills would her perfect player have?
The team enters its 50th season ranked No. 1 in Division I-AA, competing in a new league, designed for programs in similar situations.
When the postseason begins with the ACC Tournament, all that matters is making a deep run — and fighting to reach Durham, N.C. for the national championship game.
Virginia beat its second top-two opponent of the season.
“What you see [now] is just a different person," Coach Shannon Wells said.
The Cavaliers have not lost to the Hokies since 2018.
With a forced fumble, a redzone interception, a missed kick and an overtime field goal, the Cavaliers took down the No. 8 team in the country — here’s how they did it.
This game proved Virginia’s toughness.
"We're a better serving team than that," Coach Shannon Wells said.
“First thing I’m thinking is, oh my god, we did it,” fourth-year College student Joey Burch said. “The second thing I’m thinking is, wow, this goalpost has to come down.”
