Virginia Falls to Top-Ranked Syracuse in Overtime
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Box Score Nov. 6, 2015
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Syracuse’s Emma Russell scored on a pass from Lies Lagerweij 6:23 into overtime to give top-seeded Syracuse (17-0) a 3-2 win over fourth-seeded Virginia (14-5) in the first semifinal game of the 2015 ACC Field Hockey Championship.
“It certainly was a hard-fought game,” said Virginia head coach Michele Madison. “There are moral victories, but I don’t want to call that a moral victory because we had the talent and the opportunities to make it go our way. That is what we can take to the bank and do something with in the NCAA Tournament. Our goal keeping continues to be one of our strengths. Our defense just keeps getting better and better every game.”
Syracuse moves on to the ACC Championship game with the win and will face third-seeded North Carolina at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Turf Field.
Syracuse’s Alma Fenne scored the lone goal of the first half when she sent a reverse chip shot into the left side of the cage just under ten minutes into the period. The Orange increased their lead in the third minute of the second half when Russell received the ball near the stroke mark and took a straight shot into the cage for her first goal of the day.
Virginia mounted a comeback in the remaining minutes, scoring two goals to knot the score at 2-2. Junior Caleigh Foust (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) put the Cavaliers on the board with just over 25 minutes remaining when she received the ball near the left post and slipped it past Syracuse’s Jess Jecko. Junior Riley Tata (Virginia Beach, Va.) then tied the game, getting a breakaway, passing up ahead to Foust and then deflecting in a pass back from Foust with twelve minutes remaining.
Virginia junior goalkeeper Rebecca Holden (Fishing Creek, N.J.) kept the Cavaliers in the game, stopping the Syracuse attack and logging a diving stick save in the waning minutes to send the game into overtime.
“Virginia’s goalie had a fantastic game today,” said Syracuse head coach Ange Bradley. “She really made us work really hard to get the result that we were able to get today.”
The game winner came when Russell one-timed a pass from Lagerweij into the net, sending Syracuse to the ACC Championship game for the second time in as many years.
Syracuse held a 21-4 shot advantage and a 4-2 edge in penalty corners. Jecko did not record a save in the game for the Orange, while Holden finished with seven saves for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers will learn their postseason fate when the NCAA Tournament bracket is released in an online selection show streaming on NCAA.com on Sunday night, Nov. 8 at 10 p.m.
All seats for Sunday’s ACC Championship game at Turf Field will be general admission with adult tickets priced at $5. Tickets for youth 18-and-younger are $3. Children two-and-younger and students of participating schools are are admitted free. Ticket sales on game day will be CASH ONLY. The ticket office and gates to the field open one hour prior to the start of the first game each day.
Fans can purchase advance tickets online at VirginiaSports.com, in-person at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium or over the phone at 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821).
Parking will be free at the University Hall and Cage lots adjacent to the field.