Virginia Concludes Regular Season with Double Overtime Win at William & Mary
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The No. 20 Virginia field hockey team (8-8, 2-4 ACC) picked up a 3-2 double-overtime victory over William & Mary (8-7, 4-1 CAA) on Friday (Oct. 26) at Busch Field in Williamsburg, Va.
Virginia’s final game of the regular season was played in a constant downpour. The Cavaliers led 1-0 at halftime, but William & Mary tied it up two minutes into the second half. Virginia went up 2-1 midway through the second period, but the Tribe tied it back up eight minutes later. The two teams played a scoreless 10-minutes overtime period before senior Greta Ell (Plains, Pa.) scored the game-winner 36 seconds into the second overtime period.
“It was a hard-fought game between two opponents that both went after it tonight in really adverse conditions,” said Virginia head coach Michele Madison. “I thought our team was able to possess the ball well under William & Mary’s pressure. We were able to move the ball to create a lot of attack opportunities. Their goalie played extremely well tonight. Our team continues to display resilience under pressure conditions.”
Junior Erin Shanahan (Pasadena, Md.) scored the Cavaliers first goal, firing off a shot from the right side that banged into the upper corner of the net twenty minutes into the contest. The Cavaliers took 11 shots in the first period, including an attempt from junior Colleen Noriar (Fredericksburg, Va.) that was saved by back Cassidy Goodwin.
William & Mary tied the game up two minutes into the second half, scoring on a penalty corner. Five minutes later, sophomore Makayla Gallen (Glen Mills, Pa.) drove along the baseline, flipping the ball up into the air for Ell to deflect into the goal. UVA’s lead lasted eight minutes, until the Tribe again tied the contest by scoring on another corner.
Virginia had a chance to win in regulation after being awarded a penalty corner with one second remaining in the game, but the shot by freshman Amber Ezechiels (Niew-Vennep, Netherlands) was saved, sending the game into overtime.
The Cavaliers started the extra period a man down as Ezechiels was given a yellow card, sidelining her for the first five minutes of overtime. Ten seconds before Ezechiels’ card was to expire, William & Mary’s Cara Manges was issued a yellow card, putting the Tribe a man down for the final five minutes of the period. Neither team was able to take advantage of the opportunity, with the game still tied 2-2 after the extra 10 minutes.
Virginia had possession to start the second overtime. Shanahan drove down toward the goal, taking an open shot, but missing just wide, the ball pinging off the far post. Ell picked up the rebound and immediately shot the ball, scoring the game-winner.
This was Ell’s first multi-goal game of the season. Shanahan’s goal was her third of the season.
Senior goalkeeper Carrera Lucas (Brooklandville, Md.) matched her season high with nine saves. William & Mary’s Kimi Jones made 12 saves.
Virginia held a 26-13 advantage in shots, including a 5-1 edge in the two overtime periods.
The postseason begins for the Cavaliers at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, being held Nov. 1-4 in Chapel Hill, N.C. Virginia, the No. 5 seed in the tournament, begins play on Thursday, Nov. 1, taking on 4-seed Boston College at 11 a.m. All games in the tournament will be televised on Regional Sports Networks.