No. 8 Virginia Dominates in Home Opener
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Aug. 29, 2012
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 8 Virginia field hockey team dominated the home opener, defeating Richmond 6-1 at Turf Field. Paige Selenski logged the fifth hat trick of her career.
The Cavaliers got on the scoreboard at the 8:33 mark with Rachel Sumfest (So., Lewisburg, Pa.) converting on the first good look of the game. Sumfest, situated down on the left side of the goal, got a tap from Taylor Brown and smashed it into the right corner of the net past the diving goalkeeper.
The Hoos second goal of the first half came just under 23 minutes into the contest with Carissa Vittese (Jr., Cherry Hill, N.J.) scoring the first of three goals that Virginia would get off penalty corners.
Hadley Bell (Jr., Shaker Heights, Ohio) scored the second penalty-corner goal three minutes into the second half to put the Hoos up 3-0.
Paige Selenski (R-Sr., Shavertown, Pa.) dominated the second half of the second period. Selenski had three shots, each finding its way into the net. She scored two goals off penalty corners. She scored a traditional goal off a penalty corner at the 48:25 mark of the game. Her third goal was a second shot that came after a penalty corner insertion with ten minutes left in the game. Selenski’s second goal was a field goal of her own creation. She dribbled past several defenders, carrying the ball into the circle and flicked it past the goalkeeper.
Richmond’s lone goal came in the final two minutes of play with the Spiders scoring off a penalty corner, just their fourth of the game.
“I liked the passing combinations today,” Madison said. “That’s what we need. That is what our system is, to move the ball through the team through the midfield up to forwards. Then you end up in the circle with possession and the ability to take a quality shot at goal.”
Virginia dominated all the statistical categories, with 14 shots (to Richmond’s six) and 11 penalty corners.
Jenny Johnstone (So., Paisley, Scotland) played the first 50 minutes of the game in goal, with a save. She improved to 2-0 on the season. Rebecca Holden (Fr., Fishing Creek, N.J.) played the final 20 minutes with a goal allowed and a save.
“We were looking quite good as a team,” Johnstone said. “Defensively, we are looking quite good at the moment. We’ve tightened up and we’re holding the ball well.”
Sumfest’s goal was her third of the season. With the three goals, Selenski now has a team-leading four goals in two games.
“I thought we handled the ball really well today,” said Selenski. “We were able to get it into our midfielders, who are our playmakers. We were able to get it up to our strikers and put the ball in the goal and get those second and third rebounds.”
The Cavaliers are back in action on Friday, Aug. 31 when they host Towson at 3 p.m. at Turf Field. Admission is free for all 2012 regular season home games.