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No. 10 Virginia Hosts No. 1 Duke on Friday
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| No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers (3-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. No. 1 Duke Blue Devils (3-0, 0-0 ACC) | |
| Date and Time | Friday, Sept. 8, 5 p.m. |
| Location | Charlottesville, Va. | Turf Field |
| Media | | ACC Network Extra |
| Additional Information | 2017 Season Stats | 2017 Fact Book (.pdf) | Bag Policy |
| Social Media | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram |
Sept. 7, 2017
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 10 Virginia field hockey team (3-1, 0-0 ACC) hosts No. 1 Duke (3-0, 0-0 ACC) on Friday, Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. at University Hall Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va.
The match will stream live online as an ACC Network Extra contest on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. Live stats will be available through a GameTracker link on VirginiaSports.com. Admission is free for all of Virginia’s regular-season home field hockey games.
The match is the ACC opener for both teams. It is the second top-10 showdown of the season for the Cavaliers who fell 4-2 to now-ranked No. 3 Penn State on August 27. It is also a match-up of last year’s ACC champion Cavaliers against the 2016 regular-season conference champion Blue Devils.
Virginia comes into the weekend as the top offense in the country, leading the nation in goals per game (6.75), assists per game (6.0), points per game (19.50), scoring average (6.75), scoring margin (4.75) and penalty corners per game (11.00). Duke is the top defense in the country after starting the season with three-straight shutouts.
Virginia senior midfielder Tara Vittese (Cherry Hill, N.J.) was named the Longstreth/NFHCA National Offensive Player of the Week for her performance last weekend. Vittese, who was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday, accumulated 19 points in two games over the weekend, scoring eight goals with three assists. In Friday’s 9-0 blanking of Columbia, she scored three goals and assisted on three others, having a hand in six of the nine Virginia goals. In Sunday’s victory, the senior midfielder scored all five of the Cavaliers’ goals in a 5-3 win over Monmouth. The Hawks twice pulled to within a goal in that game, only to have Vittese answer with an insurance score.
Vittese leads the nation in points per game (7.75) and paces the ACC in assists per game (1.75) and goals per game (3.0). Senior midfielder Nadine de Koning (Laren, Netherlands) is tied with Vittese in assists per game while freshman back Rachel Robinson (Mount Joy, Pa.) is third with 1.0 assist per game. Freshman midfielder Pien Dicke (Den Haag, Netherlands) is second in the conference in two statistical categories, averaging 1.0 goals and 2.25 points per game.
Duke goalkeeper Sammi Steele was named the Longstreth/NFHCA National Defensive Player of the Week. Steele anchored the Blue Devils’ strong defensive performances in a 2-0 defeat of No. 6 Maryland and a 1-0 victory over No. 14 Northwestern over the weekend at the B1G/ACC Cup. In addition to holding opponents scoreless in 210 minutes of action this season, Steele owns a 1.000 save percentage against 22 total shots. She is tied for first in the country in goals against average (0.00), save percentage and goalie win-loss percentage.
Virginia redshirt junior goalkeeper Carrera Lucas (Brooklandville, Md.) is tied for the ACC lead in saves per game, averaging 4.25 per contest.
The Cavaliers, who play nine of their first 10 games of the season at Turf Field, will play a neutral-site game on Sunday, Sept. 10 at the L.R. Hill Sports Complex in Norfolk, Va., taking on Michigan State (3-2). Live stats will be available for the match. Virginia returns home on Friday, Sept. 15, hosting William & Mary at 5 p.m.
Updated Bag Policy
Virginia athletics has updated its bag policies to mirror those already in place for Scott Stadium. At Klöckner Stadium, Turf Field and Memorial Gymnasium the following procedures have been put into effect.
All guests are subject to inspection and search for prohibited items. Event staff will examine the contents of bags, jackets, pockets, or any other personal item before admitting guests to the facility. In order to expedite entrance into the facility, it is recommended that guests not bring bags to events and arrive early at the facility entrances.
Prohibited Items
– Artificial noisemakers
– Balls, Frisbees, lacrosse sticks, and similar items
– Containers (including plastic or glass bottles, cans, coolers, or flasks)
– Food and beverages
– Weapons
*The University of Virginia reserves the right to prohibit any item deemed hazardous or disruptive to the athletics event or the enjoyment of the event by other guests.
The above procedures are designed to provide a safe and positive experience for all fans in attendance at Virginia athletics events.