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May 20, 1998

Final Record: 17-3

Individual and Team Notes:With ALL our respect! Five Cavaliers were named to the All-American squads this year, including repeats Peggy Boutilier and Kara Ariza on the first team. Joining them and making their first appearance are Mia Mooney and Samm Taylor on the second team and Amy Fromal on the third team.

A dynamic dozen (too bad not a baker’s dozen!): The12 game winning streak held by the Cavs this season tied the longest streak in a single season. The 1991 team also put together a 12 game winning streak en route to the title.

Not by us–AGAIN!: The Cavaliers are the nation’s leader in scoring defense, allowing only 6.00 goals per game. That average ranks ninth all-time at Virginia for scoring defense in a season. The hockey team also led the nation in scoring defense.

Caged Cavaliers : While the Hoos were known for their defense, the 230 goals scored by this year’s squad is a new record for goals in a season, breaking the 225 scored by the 1994 squad. The Hoos averaged 11.5 goals a game, which ranks seventh all-time. The 5.5 victory margin ranks sixth all-time. The 95 assists ranks third in school history for a season.

Sweet 17 : The 17 wins ties the record for most wins in a single season (1991, 17-1). The 20 games also sets a new record for most games in a season (19, 1997). The 85% winning percentage is the fourth-best in school history.

In any direction, they are awesome! : Kara Ariza and Peggy Boutilier have been selected to play in the North/South All-Star game at Towson University on Saturday, May 6. Game time is 6:00 pm.

GAME 19: #1 Virginia 10, #5 Dartmouth 7–
The Virginia Cavaliers (17-2) showed why they are the stingiest de-fense in the country as they advanced to the 1998 NCAA Finals with a 10-7 win over Dartmouth (13-3). The Big Green led the nation in scoring with 14.61 goals per game but the Cavaliers, who allow only 5.67 goals per game, held Dartmouth to their lowest goal total this season. Offensively the Cavaliers were led by freshman Lacey Aumiller (Baltimore, Md/Notre Dame Prep) who tied her career high with four goals.

Virginia jumped out on top just over a minute into the game when Jess Hull (Arnold, Md/Broadneck) made an unassisted drive to the cage. Kara Ariza (Lansdowne, Pa./Penn Wood) quick sticked an Aumiller pass 80 seconds later to put UVa up 2-0. Senior captain Peggy Boutilier (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park Country) won the draw and took it down for a goal 22 seconds later to put UVa up 3-0, forcing Dartmouth to call a time out.

Dartmouth got on the board as they converted a free position 10:29 into the half. Aumiller and Hall both scored for the Cavaliers in 83 seconds to give Virginia a 5-1 lead with 13:55 to go. Dartmouth scored twice in a minute to cut the deficit to 5-3 and Weitzel’s second free position brought the Big Green within one at 6:23. But with under two minutes to go, Mills Hook (Lutherville, Md./St. Paul’s) was called for a crease violation and the ball was awarded to the Dartmouth goalie. While trying to clear the ball, she tripped and the ball rolled outside the crease. Hooks alertly picked up the ball and deposited it in the empty net to give UVa a 6-4 lead which they took into the break.

Dartmouth’s Weitzel scored unassisted three minutes into the second half to move within one. Graw then seemingly scored four minutes later but was instead given a yellow card for a dangerous follow through as she hit Melissa Hayes (Chevy Chase, Md./Georgetown Visitation) in the face. With just under 20 minutes to go Stephy Samaras (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) intercepted a pass and raced down field where she passed the ball to Meredith Elwell (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) who fed it back to Samaras who scored.

Ariza won the ensuing draw and fed Aumiller, who was standing on the crease, whose goal gave the Cavaliers an 8-5 lead. Aumiller scored again at 11:50 to give Virginia a 9-5 lead, forcing Dartmouth to take a time out. After the time out Weitzel scored on a free position to cut the lead to 9-6. Aumiller scored her fourth goal on a charge to the cage and from there the Cavaliers played possession ball to run out the clock.

Dartmouth’s Julia Miller scored with 13 seconds remaining to make the final score 10-7.

The UVa defense was led by senior goalie Heather Castle’s seven saves. Virginia was also led by Samm Taylor (Springfield, Va./Robinson) and her four caused turnovers and Boutilier’s six ground balls.

GAME 20: #3 Maryland 11, #1 Virginia 5–
One of the most successful seasons in Virginia lacrosse history came to a sudden end in Catonsville as the top-ranked Cavaliers fell short in the NCAA Championship game against the three-time defending national champion Maryland Terrapins. Virginia, who had given up ten or more goals in a game only twice this season, allowed 11 in the loss to the Terrapins while managing just five themselves.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net until Maryland jumped on the board with a goal 8:27 into the first half. The Cavalier offense was unlucky as they hit three pipes in the opening ten minutes but were unable to pierce the net. Finally the Cavaliers responded as ACC Rookie of the Year Mills Hook (Lutherville, Md./St. Paul’s) scored an unassisted goal to tie the game.

Both teams held their ground for the next 15 minutes, but the Terrapins scored three times in the final five minutes to take a 4-1 lead into halftime. Maryland jumped on top early in the second half as they scored twice in the opening two minutes to take a 6-1 lead.

The Cavaliers answered asHook converted a free position to pull Virginia to with four. But Maryland answered right back less than a minute later to push the margin back to five.

The Terps ripped off two quick goals in under a minute six minutes later to take a 9-2 lead, but Hook again answered for the Cavaliers with a quickstick goal from senior captain Kara Ariza.

Virginia started to rally with 9:15 remaining as freshman Lacey Aumiller converted a pass from senior captain Peggy Boutilier and Ariza scored an unassisted goal 15 seconds later to pull Virginia within four. But that would be all the offense the Cavaliers would get, and Maryland would score twice in the final two minutes to preserve the win.

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