Women's Lacrosse Records Perfect Month of April

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GAME 17: #1 Virginia 8, #4 Loyola 6–The top-ranked Cavaliers scored four goals inthe first ten minutes of the game against the fourth-ranked Greyhounds and weathereda series of runs to hang on to defeat Loyola 8-6 in Baltimore today. Virginia,behind senior Heather Castle’s (Timonium, Md./Notre Dame Prep) season-high 11saves,held the Hounds to six goals while blistering the nation’s top-ranked defense foreight goals en route to the win. Virginia jumped on the board just 1:18 into thegame as Samm Taylor (Springfield, Va./Robinson) found Kelly Allenbach (West Chester,Pa./W. C.Henderson) in front of the crease.

Three minutes later Meredith Elwell(Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) converted a challenge from the top to go up 2-0.Loyola responded a minute later as the Hounds intercepted a pass and raced back downfield and were given a free position, which they converted to make the score 2-1.The Cavaliers then scored two quick goals as Jess Hull (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) tooka Lacey Aumiller (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep) pass to the cage and seniorcaptain Peggy Boutilier (Baltimore, Md./Roland Park Country) scored on a challengeto take a 4-1 lead with only ten minutes elapsed in the game. After the Loyolatimeout, the Greyhounds showed why they were the top-ranked defense going into thegame by holding the Cavaliers scoreless for 18 minutes. Meanwhile, the Hound offensenotched two goals on challenges from the top to cut the deficit to one at 4-3 with6:34 remaining in the half.

The Cavaliers ended their scoring drought with 1:57 toplay in the half as Mills Hook (Lutherville, Md./St. Paul’s) converted a freeposition to give Virginia a 5-3 lead at halftime. Taylor gave the Cavaliers athree-goal lead eight seconds into the second half when she drew to herself and andraced down field and settled a bounce shot past the Loyola keeper.

The Greyhoundsresponded on a free position five minutes later to cut the deficit to two. Virginiawent up by three again as Boutilier again scored on a challenge with 18:38 to go inthe game. The Hounds cut the margin to two again four minutes later as MeganSantacroce scored with an assist from Erin Wylde halfway through the period.

TheCavaliers worked to maintain possession for the remainder of the game and with 3:45to play Taylor scored again on a challenge from the top to give Virginia its thirdthree-goal lead. The Cavaliers won the ensuing draw and forced a free position, butthe shot was saved and the Hounds raced down field and scored with 27 ticks on theclock for the final score of 8-6.

Individual and Team Notes:

100 A+! Kara Ariza recorded her 100th career point with her goal against Temple. She is the 17th person to reach the 100 point plateau. Her 68 goals ranks 19th all-time and her 32 assists is 12th all-time. She needs just three assists to break into the top-10 in that catagory.

April is NOT the cruelest month: The Cavaliers picked up a perfect month of April with their defeat of the Greyhounds (9 wins). Overall, the Cavaliers are 156-50-4 (75.2%) all-time in April. In 1985, 1991, 1992, and 1993 the Cavaliers were also perfect in what T. S. Eliot calls the “cruelest month.” Actually, April is the Cavaliers’ best month in terms of winning percentage.

Perfect 10!–but we want LUCKY 13: The ten-game winning streak in this season is the fourth-longest streak overall and the third-longest streak in a single season. Three more wins–which would mean the NCAA Championship–would be the longest streak in school history in a single seaon.

Scootin right on up: Peggy Boutilier put on another show this season, but this time it was at the annual UVA Athletic Awards Banquet. Peggy was named the lacrosse team MVP, the field hockey team MVP, the UVA Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year, the recipient of the Ernest Ern Award recognizing outstanding contributions to student life, and the Student-Athlete Mentor award. She is the first person in school history to be named the team MVP for two different teams in the same year.

Not by us–AGAIN!: With the victory, the Cavaliers become the nation’s leader in scoring defense, allowing only 5.58 goals per game. Loyola falls to second with a goals-against average of 5.71. The Cavalier field hockey team, of which Boutilier, Kara Ariza (Lansdowne, Pa./Penn Wood), Melissa Hayes (Chevy Chase, Md./Georgetown Visitation) and Elwell are members, led the nation in scoring defense earlier this year. Castle stays in second in goals-against average with 5.94 behind Heavey’s 5.81. Other Cavaliers leading the team defensively today were Taylor with three caused turnovers and Amy Fromal (Folsom, Pa./Ridley) who had three ground balls.

Booting up another record! : Boutilier’s start today was her 68th consecutive start in lacrosse, which ties the school record for consecutive starts and total games played, which she shares with Ariza. Boutilier already holds the school record for consecutive starts in field hockey with 88.

Looking Ahead

Goin to the dance: The Cavaliers will face either Princeton or Georgetown in the NCAA Quarterfinals on Saturday, May 9. The Hoos met both of these teams earlier this year, both on the road. In the second game of the season, UVa defeated the Hoyas 16-8, holding the Hoyas scoreless for a 30 minute span in the middle of the game. The Cavaliers also knocked off the Tigers, handing the then-#2 Tigers their first defeat. In fact, the Cavaliers have won eight consecutive games since the Princeton game. The Cavaliers have never met Georgetown in the NCAA tournament (this is GTown’s first trip) while the Cavaliers are 1-2 against Princeton in the post season. The Tigers beat UVa in 1989 and 1994 (13-14, ot) but the Cavaliers took the 1993 game 8-6 in overtime and the NCAA Crown with it. Should the Tigers advance, it will pit UVa’s Stephy Samaras against her two sisters Cristi and Cory, both of whom start for Princeton.

Back to back--The Cavaliers have played a team more than once in a season 34 times. Only once has it gone to three games (UNC, 1997). In the other 33 series, the Cavaliers have swept the series 13 times, been swept 10 times, split after winning the first five times and have beat the team that beat them earlier four times. (The Hoos have also lost after tying the first game.)