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Aug. 29, 2007
Charlottesville – The Cavaliers will host in-state rival Richmond on Thursday, August 30 at University Hall Turf Field. The game will be the second of the 2007 fall campaign for the Cavaliers (0-1) while the Spiders (1-1) will play in their third contest after hosting the Spider Classic last weekend. In the 2007 preseason rankings by the NFHCA, the Cavaliers come in at No. 8 while the Spiders received some votes.
Virginia holds a 26-4-1 record against Richmond all-time after last year’s 5-3 win in Richmond. The win broke a four-year losing streak to the Spiders, who have advanced to the NCAA Championships each of those four years as the Atlantic 10 champions. The series between the two schools started in 1975 when the Cavaliers traveled to Richmond to face the school, then known as Westhampton College.
The Cavaliers fell in their opening game at home to No. 7 Penn State 3-1. Virginia had taken the lead early on a Traci Ragukas goal before seeing the Nittany Lions scored the final three goals of the game. Richmond won their opening match of the season before falling to No. 16 American 4-0 in the final game of the Spider Classic.
Ragukas, who led the team in scoring last year with 15 goals and five assists, was named to the National All-Rookie squad after 2006 by womensfieldhockey.com. Teammate Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn was named to the first team while head coach Michele Madison was honored as the national coach of the year by the same organization.
Game time against the Spiders will be at 6 pm at University Hall Turf Field.