Virginia was not even out-hit, with the hit total actually ending at 12-9 in favor of the Cavaliers. However, the timeliness of those hits as well as some free passes allowed for the Rams to reap the full benefits of its success relative to their Commonwealth counterparts.
“This is going to be a sustained excellence program,” Roussell said. “How we go about things, how we handle ourselves, the perception of our women's basketball program will matter.”
Sunday’s win is exactly what Virginia needed at the exact time they needed it. Stability and length from the bullpen, contributions from all parts of the lineup and its stars showing up in a big way.
“I think we'll continue to find our group and find our rhythm,” Hardin said, “This is tough stuff, because they feel so frustrated and upset, because it really matters to them. They care, and I think they can really appreciate that about the girls. So we'll continue to communicate, continue to fill out our depths and our distances together.”
“I want to give Syracuse credit,” Tiffany said. “I felt like their entire team had a greater sense of urgency … Syracuse’s offense is really, really difficult to stop.”
This tracker will follow all major news — additions, departures and important updates — and will be updated regularly as the offseason progresses.
The Cavaliers capped off their best regular season in program history.
Overall, the Cavaliers (25-11, 9-8 ACC) had a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot all afternoon — giving up numerous free bases to fuel the Fighting Irish (16-14, 7-10 ACC) offense.
“It's awesome to see that second year class really shine, particularly on the offensive end of the field,” LaMonica said. “What a vote of confidence for those guys to make an impact for us in that way. And it's … a sign [that] the future is bright.”
Both programs now have 10 ACC wins, with the final game of the series serving as a tiebreaker for the third seed in the conference tournament.
“Every time somebody asks me about Didawick, I always say he deserves all of the success he’s having,” Coach Chris Pollard said. “He’s in a good place … he and Sam Harris both, working through some adjustments.”
The victory is the Cavaliers’ 10th ACC win of the season, their first since a sweep at the hands of Duke last weekend. Tomorrow, Virginia will aim to clinch their first Commonwealth Clash in 15 years — first pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
“Coach, just before you end,” Marek said. “Will you give me a chance to be the starter?” Tiffany was taken aback. That, he thought, that was a little forward.
The Cavaliers will face No. 14 NC State Sunday afternoon.
The rise of sports betting has already done enough damage to the world of college athletics.
The ACC Championships will run from April 15 to 19 in Cary, N.C.
The origin of @hill4hoos began just a few months ago, during the large snowstorm that hit Virginia. Trapped inside with nothing but time on his hands, he hit record.
Coach Joanna Hardin’s squad is set to face No. 12 Virginia Tech Friday at Palmer Park not just looking for a win, but searching for the version of itself that successfully fought through those first four conference series.
As the ACC and NCAA tournaments draw near, No. 2 Virginia continues to showcase a level of depth, precision and morale that signals a team reaching a new echelon. With consistent lineups and multiple players capable of carding exceptional lows, this team has all the pieces to go the distance.
The win can be seen as a huge morale boost going into this weekend’s series against rival No. 12 Virginia Tech.
