No. 7 Virginia's Season Ends with a 4-3 Overtime Loss in the NCAA First Round

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Nov. 16, 2013

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DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 7 Virginia field hockey team’s season came to a close with a 4-3 overtime loss to Massachusetts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

“Congratulations to UMass and I wish them the best of luck in the tournament,” said Virginia head coach Michele Madison. “It was a hard-fought game by both teams. Obviously, I am very disappointed right now. We had plenty of chances in the game that we didn’t capitalize on. That is what is going to linger is the missed opportunities.”

Virginia ends the year with a 15-6 record. UMass improves to 19-4 and will face Duke on Sunday in the second-round match-up.Virginia held a 3-2 lead when UMass was awarded a penalty corner with just under two minutes to play in the second half. Junior goalkeeper Jenny Johnstone (Paisley, Scotland) saved the initial shot with junior back Kelsey LeBlanc (Haverford, Pa.) getting a defensive save on a secondary attempt. The Cavaliers cleared the ball out of the circle, but UMass stole the ball back, attacking the goal again and scoring with 1:08 remaining to tie the game, 3-3.

UMass had a chance to win in regulation, taking a penalty corner with no time left on the clock. Senior defender Katie Robinson (Mount Joy, Pa.) blocked the shot to send the game to overtime.

Virginia had several opportunities in overtime including back-to-back hard shots from seniors Elly Buckley (Scarborough, Perth, Australia) and Hadley Bell (Shaker Heights, Ohio), but UMass’ goalkeeper Sam Carlino stopped both attempts.Right before the game-winner, UMass had dribbled the ball into the circle, with Charlotte Verelst taking a shot that was blocked by a Cavalier defender. Verelst picked up the loose ball and rifled a shot into the upper right corner of the net to score 10:52 into the overtime period.

Virginia never trailed in the game until the final shot. Freshman Caleigh Foust (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) scored the first goal of the game 18:38 into the contest, tapping in a pass from Buckley. UMass tied the game off a penalty corner with three minutes left in the first half to send the game into halftime knotted at one.

In the second half, Foust struck again, taking a pass from the wing from fellow freshman Lucy Hyams (Whitstable, Kent, England) and knocking it in to again give the Cavaliers a one-goal lead. UMass again tied the game on a penalty corner opportunity three minutes later.

Freshman Riley Tata (Virginia Beach, Va.) gave the Cavaliers a 3-2 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the game. Tata picked up a rebound after a save on a shot by freshman Macy Peebles (Yorktown, Va.) to tap it in for the score.

This was Virginia’s 19th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the seventh in the last eight seasons. It was the ninth time the Cavaliers bowed out in the first round.

This was UVa’s first overtime loss of the season after wining their two regular-season overtime contests against Boston College and Richmond.

Johnstone ended the game with seven saves. Carlino made five stops, including two in overtime.

Foust finishes the season with 12 goals, ranking her second on the team. Tata scored her 11th goal of the season, ranking her third. Hyams, the ACC Freshman of the Year, finished her rookie campaign with 11 assists and five goals, ranking fourth on the squad with 21 points.

Buckley, who logged her ACC-leading sixth defensive save in the first half, will finish her career with 11 defensive saves, ranking her fourth on the Virginia all-time list. Buckley’s first-half assist gives her 36 assists in her career, ranking her seventh on the UVa all-time list. Buckley is ranked fourth in the

Virginia record book with 73 career goals and third with 182 career points.Buckley currently leads the ACC with 20 goals and 49 points.