After clawing back from an early 21-point deficit to the Hawkeyes (7-0, 0-0 Big Ten), the Cavaliers (5-3, 0-0 ACC) witnessed a jumper from senior Iowa guard Joe Toussaint fall through the net to end any dreams of a triumphant comeback.
Despite the continued growth of Coach Bronco Mendenhall’s program over the last six years, the loss to the Hokies puts Virginia in a precarious position.
A frenzied final few minutes and questionable play-calling led to the Cavaliers’ demise in a heartbreaking Commonwealth Cup defeat.
Junior guard Armaan Franklin and senior forward Jayden Gardner — the two notable transfers for this new-look Cavalier team — have established themselves as the clear-cut scorers for a roster that requires offensive energy at times.
The “757” — the area code for the Tidewater region of Virginia — has long held a reputation for producing some of the most prolific athletes in both the Commonwealth and the nation.
The meet took place over three days and showcased improvement for both teams.
Notably, after the first eight matches, the score was tied at 15, but the Camels were able to find a second gear and win the final two weight classes to secure the victory.
The Cavalier men and women traveled to Philadelphia and Princeton to take on Ivy League foes Pennsylvania, Princeton and Cornell.
The Cavaliers (2-2, 0-0 ACC) once again reached deep into its bench against the Eagles (1-6, 0-0 MEAC), with Coach Tony Bennett employing various rotations featuring some newcomers.
Both teams have seen some of their top players continue the rivalry in the National Football League.
It seemed like the game was there for the taking for the Cavaliers, but a number of costly mistakes proved to be the difference against the Panthers.
With this loss, Virginia women's soccer is now 2-1-0 all-time against Brigham Young.
If history is to be on Virginia’s side, then the offense has to be operating at full strength come Nov. 27.
The Cavaliers look to continue their momentum against a Campbell team that has faced fierce competition so far this season.
This will hopefully be a learning experience for a new Virginia roster — one which resembles the 69-40 defeat at Purdue in 2019 or the 98-75 blowout versus Gonzaga in 2020. Most rosters under Bennett have clawed their way back from early losses, and time will tell if this team can rebound from a less than stellar start to the season.
The Cavaliers struggled mightily against the schools from North Carolina, winning just one set all weekend.
After 90 minutes of sensational physical play, Virginia came out on top – defeating Milwaukee 2-0 and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
A loss to the heavily-favored Panthers Saturday afternoon would eliminate the Cavaliers from contention for division crown, halting the momentum built up through eight games of the season.
The coaches' trajectories at their respective schools could not have been more different — a fact made plainly obvious by Fuente parting ways with Virginia Tech Tuesday morning.
Blanding graduated from Virginia in 2017 and, after a brief stint in the NFL, now serves as a recruiting scout for the Cavaliers.
