The No. 3 UVA field hockey team (11-3, 4-0 ACC) earned a 2-1 road victory at Richmond (7-4, 3-1 A-10) on Friday (Oct. 10) in the first-ever night game at Cresnshaw Field.
Freshman midfielder Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) scored both of the Cavaliers’ goals. Virginia held a 10-4 edge in shots and a 7-2 advantage in penalty corners.
“We faced another really aggressive opponent today,” said head coach Michele Madison. “Richmond really brought their game today. This was a really fun game to play at night under the lights. In the second half, our team changed the tempo of the game and we managed to get more opportunities.”
Eight minutes into the second half, Richmond’a Amy Cooke broke open a 0-0 tie, scoring off Richmond’s second penalty corner of the game. Vittese tied the game seven minutes later, scoring off a Virginia short corner with the ball deflecting into the net off a Richmond player’s stick. Vittese broke the tie with 5:21 left in regulation when she dribbled from the top of the circle past several defenders, firing a shot into the lower right corner of the net.
Vittese’s second goal was her 12th of the season. Freshman Nadine de Koning (Laren, The Netherlands) and sophomore Katie Kelly (Phoenixville, Pa.) both assisted on Vittese’s first goal.
Senior goalkeeper Jenny Johnstone (Paisley, Scotland) made two saves, both in the second half.
Virginia closes out the weekend hosting No. 17 Wake Forest (8-4,1-2 ACC) on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. at Turf Field with a chance for UVa to secure at least a tie for the ACC regular-season title with a victory. Admission is free for all of Virginia’s regular-season home field hockey games.
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Chris Graham
