Field hockey: #5 Virginia falls in double overtime at #15 Old Dominion

The No. 5 Virginia field hockey team (10-3, 3-2 ACC) fell 3-2 in a double overtime contest at No. 15 Old Dominion (8-3, 1-0 BIG EAST) on Sunday (Oct. 11) at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex in Norfolk, Va.

Virginia trailed 2-0 before scores by junior Riley Tata (Virginia Beach, Va.) and sophomore Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) tied the game with 18 minutes remaining in regulation.

Old Dominion scored the game winner off a penalty corner 6:21 into the second overtime. The Monarchs had four penalty corners in the overtime periods and outshot the Cavaliers 8-2 in the extra time.

“There was a lot of hockey out there today,” said Virginia head coach Michele Madison. “Both teams had moments of brilliance. We need to be able to put together two halves to get a win against a high-caliber team like Old Dominion. They had the first half and we had the second. Both teams had their chances in overtime, but we just needed to put it away and didn’t.”

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Carrera Lucas (Brooklandville, Md.) played the second half and both overtime periods in goal, logging eight saves.

Virginia took the first four shots of the game, but the Monarchs capitalized on their first opportunity, scoring off a penalty corner 21 minutes into the game. ODU added its second goal 3:12 into the second half.

Vittese found an open Tata in front of the net, cutting the deficit in half 15 minutes into the second half. Two minutes later, Vittese dribbled through the defense and fired off an on-target shot to tie the game at two.

Virginia had two hard shots in the final four minutes of the game, but ODU goalie Kealsie Robles stopped both shots. The Cavaliers had a penalty corner as time expired in regulation, but Old Dominion stifled the attack, keeping UVA from getting off a shot.

Virginia had a fast break in the waning seconds of the first overtime but a shot by junior Caleigh Foust (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) with four seconds left on the clock was saved by Robles. Foust had another shot 44 seconds into the second overtime that was just off target of the open side of the net, hitting the side of the cage instead.

Virginia will be back in action next Thursday, Oct. 15, playing at No. 12 Liberty at 4 p.m. before traveling to take on No. 13 Delaware on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m.