“They're really tough to deal with,” Odom said in February. “And they're even better in person than when you watch them on film.”
The match seemed to settle in the final quarter as both sides simply traded goals, ending with a 12-10 scoreline in favor of the Cavaliers. Piraino’s goal with 3:17 left was the final important action, securing a much-needed win over a ranked opponent.
“We got the lead to six a couple times in the first half, and then we wasted some possessions,” Wade said. “We took a bunch of mid range jump shots, a bunch of fadeaways. We got bottled up, which is what their defense does. That really bothered us and stunted us from being able [to] stretch the lead.”
With Hardin at the helm, the softball program has experienced a renaissance and this year, they are off to a roaring start.
Three beat writers discuss Virginia’s regular-season and postseason outlook, as the Cavaliers await the selection committee’s decision on Selection Sunday, March 15.
Virginia is just 3-15 all-time against the Wolfpack in the ACC Tournament, including a 3-9 mark in quarterfinal matchups and a 1-3 record in Charlotte — the Cavaliers are also just 3-22 against NC State at neutral sites.
“I can definitely say that I think I left the jersey in a better place. I think we did as a team,” Tillis said.
“Whenever Dallin talks, we listen to him,” senior center Ugonna Onyenso said. “He brings a different kind of energy to the game.”
To the Cavaliers’ credit, they did not go quietly come day three. Duangmanee was resurgent in his final round, shooting a 65 with a five-birdie, bogey-free back nine. It was the best individual score of the tournament across the entire field.
“It’s great to be at home,” Coach Joanna Hardin said postgame. “We love playing at Palmer Park and we look forward to seeing our fans at the ballpark on a beautiful weekend for a big series against Georgia Tech.”
“It was funny, we were out in the field and Sam and I were talking about going back-to-back next inning,” Tiroly said. “On the first pitch, I was fortunate enough to put a good swing on it and I come back to the plate, tap him on the chest and say ‘alright buddy, your turn.’”
Sunday belonged to junior Mira Berglund, whose masterclass propelled Virginia to the finish line.
This weekend, the No. 4 men (13-6, 3-1, MASC) and No. 6 women (13-7, 4-2, MASC) navigated a gauntlet of competition at the CSA Team Championships to secure their sixth and fifth consecutive top-eight national finishes, respectively.
The Cavaliers are now 4-0 in conference play.
“I thought FSU played us tough throughout, and cleaning up some stick-work errors will be important moving forward,” Head Coach Sonia LaMonica said. “I’m proud of our group for showing consistency across all quarters, both in defensive stops and offensive output.”
“It's just … a full-circle moment, which is nice because last year was very unpredictable with what basketball was going to be for me,” Weimar said.
“It’s always hard to say, did we not shoot well, or did the goalie have a great day?” Tiffany said. “Probably both — it’s the easy, cop-out answer, but it's probably the truth.”
Despite the snapping of their winning streak, the Cavaliers emerged triumphant from Chapel Hill. They will now return to Charlottesville for a homestand with a standalone contest against Hampton Tuesday, followed by a weekend series against Georgia Tech for their second ACC matchup.
College baseball is a volatile sport. Just this Wednesday, Virginia got mercy ruled by a mid-major team in a midweek contest. Fast forward to this weekend, and the Cavaliers (13-3, 2-1 ACC) just won two of three games against No. 8 North Carolina in their house.
“They chose Virginia for all the right reasons,” Odom said postgame. “A lot to be proud of, and it wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for those five guys that made the choice … They all, in their own way, have impacted this place and made the most of their time here.”
