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Winston-Salem, N.C.The Virginia field hockey team (14-8) held off in-state rival James Madison (18-3) 2-1 Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Third-year Traci Ragukas scored what proved to be the game-winner with 0:02 left to play in the first half. First-year Floor Vogels also scored for UVa.
The Cavaliers move on to play host WakeForest (20-3) in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Demon Deacons defeated American 7-1 in the first round.
“It’s always a close game between the two teams,” Virginia head coach Michele Madison said. “I am really proud of the team and how they kept their cool and stuck to the game plan.”
Ragukas’ goal was off a Cavalier penalty corner opportunity. Kaitlyn Hiltz pushed the ball out to Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, who took a shot. After a JMU save, Ragukas gathered the ball at the far post and put it in to give UVa a 2-1 lead just before halftime.
“We knew our chances would be few and far between and we would have to capitalize on the ones we got,” Madison said.
With 10 minutes remaining in the game the Dukes were able to get some pressure and attacked in the circle. A penalty corner resulted in three JMU shots, but the first two were blocked and the second one went high.
Another penalty corner came for James Madison with just three minutes remaining in the game. The Cavalier defense was able to hold off the Dukes as No. 8’s shot was blocked in the middle of the circle.
Virginia got on the board first in the ninth minute, converting on its first penalty corner of the game. Hiltz pushed the ball to Pien Hulsebosch, who tapped it in front of Vogels for the score. It was her eighth score on the season.
James Madison tied the game in the 33rd minute. Melissa Stefaniak beat Virginia goalkeeper Amy Desjadon and passed the ball up to Lindsay Cutchins, who was waiting in front of the empty net.
“Shelly (Edmonds) was out, so one of our top defenders was down,” said Madison of the JMU score. “We had to change the line-up a little and that is how they got their goal. We had a mis-match on who was supposed to go out and pick up the ball.”
Edmonds was hit in the head with a stick after a JMU shot and had to leave the game in the first half to get stitches. She returned to the turf in the second half.
“She is as tough as nails,” Madison said.
For the game, JMU had a 15-10 shot advantage and took five corners to Virginia’s three. Desjadon finished with four saves in the cage while Kelsey Cutchins tallied six stops for the Dukes.
Virginia and WakeForest will meet for the second time this season. Back on Oct. 25, the Demon Deacons beat Virginia 6-2 in Charlottesville.
“They are a great team and we just have to get a better game plan together,” Madison said of WakeForest. “Their (penalty) corners are out-of-this-world. We can’t give up the corners; that is the No. 1 thing. We have to be able to score because they can put goals in.”