The No. 4 Virginia field hockey team (9-2, 2-2 ACC) closed out its weekend homestand with a 4-1 victory over Richmond (5-6, 2-0 A-10) on Sunday (Oct. 4) at University Hall Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va.
Virginia outshot Richmond 33-2 in the game with Richmond’s goalkeeper Emily Braunewell tallying 18 saves.
“It feels really good to come up with a win, but it feels even better because the team played so well,” said Virginia head coach Michele Madison. “We were firing on all cylinders today. It seemed like there was a wall on the goal in the first half. They were trying so hard to put it in. I told them to keep knocking at it, which they did. The defense did a great job today as well.”
Sophomores Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) and Nadine de Koning (Laren, Netherlands) and freshmen Izzy McDonough (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Greta Ell (Plains, Pa.) each scored a goal with junior Lucy Hyams (Whitstable, England) credited with an assist.
Richmond took a 1-0 lead ten minutes into the game. Virginia junior goalkeeper Rebecca Holden (Fishing Creek, N.J) made an initial save after a shot on a penalty corner, but the Spiders’ Emily Bowe picked up the rebound and knocked it into the goal. Richmond would not take another shot the rest of the game.
Vittese tied the game three minutes before halftime after a flurry of four previous shots by the Cavalier attack in a span of 24 seconds were saved by Barunewell.
De Koning gave Virginia its first lead, scoring three minutes into the second half on a second-chance goal after an initial shot on a penalty corner was saved and then rebounded off the goalie pads. Hyams and McDonough added an insurance goal with 20 minutes left in the game when McDonough tapped in a cross from Hyams. Ell scored Virginia’s final goal with the ball loose in front of the net after a save with ten minutes remaining.
Virginia has six regular-season games remaining, five of which will be on the road, including games nextFriday, Oct. 9 at No. 7 Wake Forest and Sunday, Oct. 11 at No. 15 Old Dominion. All six of Virginia’s upcoming opponents are currently ranked in the NFHCA Coaches Poll.
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