Field Hockey: #7 UVA wins 3-2 at Drexel

The #7 UVA field hockey team (13-3, 3-2 ACC) closed out the weekend with a 3-2 road win at Drexel (3-11, 1-2 CAA).

The Cavaliers never trailed in the game, scoring all three goals in the first half. Sophomore midfielders Annie McDonough (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Greer Gill (Virginia Beach, Va.) and senior back Anzel Viljoen (Matamata, New Zealand) scored for the Cavaliers.

McDonough wasted no time getting the Cavaliers on the board, striking a backhanded shot into the net 3:35 into the contest, but Drexel answered four minutes later, scoring a goal after a shot ricocheted off the post and into the net. Gill scored in the waning seconds of the first quarter, tapping in a second-chance shot to put UVA ahead 2-1. Drexel scored in the opening moments of the second quarter, knocking in a shot from the goal line to tie the game at two.

Viljoen deflected in a second-chance shot after a penalty corner to give UVA a 3-2 lead with five minutes remaining in the first half.

Though neither team scored in the second half, the Cavaliers dominated possession, outshooting Drexel 16-2 after the break.

“The positive takeaway from the game was how we worked to control chaos,” UVA coach Michele Madison said. “I thought the team was able to reconnect in the second half, find each other, find their simple passing game, and we were able to create a lot of attacking opportunities out of it against a very aggressive Drexel team.”