Field Hockey: UVA defeats Syracuse in double-OT

Amber Ezechiels scored the game winner 5:34 into the second overtime, lifting UVA to a 3-2 win over Syracuse on Sunday at Turf Field in Charlottesville.

Virginia (3-1, 2-0 ACC) held a 2-0 advantage at halftime, but the Orange (0-2, 0-1 ACC) scored a pair of second-half goals, tying the game with 10 minutes remaining in regulation.

The Cavaliers appeared to have won the game in the first overtime period, when sophomore striker Laura Janssen tipped in a second-chance shot after a penalty corner, but the play went to video review, and it was ruled that it touched her body and was whistled off.

“I’m so proud of the team’s effort today,” UVA coach Michele Madison said. “Even the whole weekend. Their game just keeps growing. Our passing game was even better today than it was on Friday. We just have to capitalize better. I think we hit three posts today, but we’ve just got to keep shooting and keep attacking and find a way to get the ball to go into the net.

“The first half, we put so much defensive pressure on. We didn’t have that same intensity coming out in the second half. You have to give credit to Syracuse, too. They got the momentum to swing in their direction and capitalized on it.”