Thorpe Becomes ACC's Top All-Time Goal Scorer
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October 13, 1998
Meridith Thorpe’s (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs) goal with 6:39 remaining in the first period of play against Davidson was her 92nd career goal, which established her as the all-time ACC career leader in goals scored. Meridith also ranks tenth all-time in the nation in scoring with 208 points. Ahead of her are Anne-Marie Thomas of Iowa (210), Cindy Werley of UNC with 212, and Christy Morgan of ODU (219). Her 92 goals is also the nations seventh-best career total all-time. She is the 11th person in the nations history to record 200+ points in a career.
GAME 11: #4 Virginia 5, Virginia Commonwealth 1–Meredith Elwell (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) netted a hat trick, the first in her collegiate field hockey career, and added an assist to help the Cavaliers defeat in-state rival Virginia Commonwealth at University Hall Turf Field. Senior All-American Michelle Vizzuso (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) notched two assists tonight, both to Elwell, recording her 50th assist of her career. She is only the fifth person in ACC history to record 50 assists in a career. Virginia got on the board early as Elwell popped in a Vizzuso cross just 3:25 into the game. Vizzuso added a second goal on a rebound of a corner play to put the Cavaliers up 2-0. The Rams capitalized on their only penalty corner of the first half one minute after Vizzusos goal to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Cavaliers controlled play for the rest of the half but could not put the ball past VCU keeper Jennifer Burroughs.
Finally, with just over four minutes to go in the period, Meridith Thorpes (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs) shot was tipped by Elwell to give the Cavaliers a two-goal lead. Eight-six seconds later Elwell streaked down the field and fed Melissa Hayes (Chevy Chase, Md./Georgetown Visitation) who was standing on the goal line and tipped in the ball to give the Cavaliers a 4-1 lead, which the Hoos took into halftime.Virginia controlled play in the second half as well, and with 12 minutes passed in the period, Vizzuso fed Elwell on a breakaway and Elwell connected for her hat trick.VCU managed just one shot in the second period.
GAME 12: #4 Virginia 9, Davidson 0 –Meridith Thorpes goal with 6:39 remaining in the first period of play was her 92nd career goal, which established her as the all-time ACC career leader in goals scored. Her first goal, which tied her with Dukes Melissa Panasci, was also the game-winner as the Cavaliers defeated Davidson (2-9) 9-0.
Thorpe scored off a pass from Michelle Vizzuso ust 3:51 into the game to give the Cavaliers the 1-0 lead. The Cavaliers went up 3-0 on a pair of penalty corners as Lori Mastropietros (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock) shot was tipped by Laura Lindsay (Deerfield, Mass./ Deerfield) into the cage at the 24:48 mark, and 97 seconds later, Mastropietro scored on a corner play with an assist from Thorpe. Michelle Vizzuso scored halfway through the period with a blast from the top of the circle that hit the inside top corner of the cage to give the Cavaliers a 4-0 lead. With just under seven minutes remaining in the period, Kara Ariza (Lans-downe, Pa./Penn Wood) intercepted a pass, dribbled down the center of the field and sent a through ball to Thorpe, who calmly placed the ball in the cage and in the process established a new ACC record. Thorpes goal gave the Cavaliers a 5-0 lead.
The Vizzuso sisters, Lorraine and Michelle, hooked up for the final goal of the period as Michelle sent a ball into her sister and Lorraine pushed it in the cage with 4:26 left in the half. The Hoos led 6-0 at halftime. Mastropietro scored her second goal of the afternoon on a penalty corner 10 minutes into the second half. She was assisted on the play by Carrie Goodloe (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs) and Frances West (Alex-andria, Va./T. C. Williams).
Julia Richardson (Chevy Chase, Md./Stone Ridge) assisted on the final two goals of the game. Her through ball to Goodloe at the 22:21 mark gave the Cavaliers an 8-0 lead, and with 3:36 remaining in the contest, she crossed the ball to a diving Liz Lopez (Bernville, Pa./Tulphehocken) who sent the ball in the cage for the final score of 9-0. Goodloes goal was her first collegiate goal. Cavalier keeper Becky Worthington (Fairview Village, Pa./Methacton) started in the cage and in the second half Ellen Wiese (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock) came into the game, but neither keeper made a save as Davidson took no shots on the after
Individual Notes:
Vizzuso is golden: Michelle Vizzuso, already Virginias career leader in assists, is also leading the nation with her 17 this season. She ranks third all-time in the ACC with 52 career assists (Jen Pratt, MD has 63). She is only the fourth personin ACC history to record 40+ goals and assists in a career. She needs just eight goals to become only the second player in ACC history to record 50+ goals and assists in a career and just seven assists to move into second place in the ACC with assists.
Mastro the maestro: Lori Mastropietro has moved into the top-15 in goals scored in a career with 25.
Elwell makes her point!: Meredith Elwell was named the HockeyPoint! player of the week for her efforts in the Maryland game. She was also the ACC Player of the Week last week.
On the Horizon
Holding back the Heels: Virginia looks to even the score with the Tar Heels, who won a 3-0 decision earlier this season. Although North Carolina leads the all-time series 26-11, the Cavaliers have won 2 of the last 4. The Tar Heels are riding a very uncommon (for them) two-game losing streak, with back-to-back losses to JMU (5-4) and Maryland (5-0).
A perfect 10 is perfect, but 11 would be heaven! : The Hoos are currently riding an ten game winning streak at home. They have not lost in Cville e since September 28, 1997. It is tied for the longest home winning streak in history (1977-78).
October wins reach 150: The Cavaliers are riding a 17-game winning streak in October dating back to 1995 when Virginia beat then-Towson State 4-0 on Oct. 13. It is the longest winning streak in school history for a month. The longest unbeaten streak, though, goes back to 1974-77 when the Cavaliers were unbeaten in 32 consecutive games, starting with a win over VCU 2-0 on October 16, 1974 and lasted through the Roanoke game in 1978, which the Hoos won 3-0. In that