Virginia Opens the 2020 Season with a 2-1 Loss to Wake Forest

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia field hockey team (0-1) opened the 2020 season with a 2-1 loss to Wake Forest (1-1) on Saturday (Sept. 26) at Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va.

The Cavaliers took an early 1-0 lead, but Wake Forest scored two goals in the second half to pick up the victory. Virginia had two potential goals whistled off in the first half.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Cavaliers got on the scoreboard early with sophomore midfielder Adele Iacobucci (Malvern, Pa.) deflecting in a shot from junior back Amber Ezechiels (Niew-Vennep, Netherlands) after a corner 3:31 into the game. Virginia appeared to add to the lead, with two other first-half shots also making into the corner of the net, including a bullet from freshman midfielder Anneloes Knol (Ultrecht, Netherlands), but both were whistled off by the officials.

In the third quarter, Wake Forest tied up the game when Eleanor Winants tapped a slow-roller through the circle that made its way into the cage to tie the game. Four minutes into the fourth quarter, the Demon Deacons fired off a flurry of shots at sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Henriksen (Falls Church, Va.) with the fourth attempt making it in to give Wake the 2-1 advantage.

FROM HEAD COACH MICHELE MADISON
“It was a really good game. I thought in the first half we were able to come out and establish our passing game and put some pressure on the goal. To have two goals called back, we just didn’t respond. We didn’t rebound from that. It could have been a different game if one of those goals had gone in. Second half, I thought Wake Forest owned the second half. They were able to beat our press, especially in the fourth quarter. We have some tape to look at to figure it out.”

“It was amazing to be out on the field playing today. I was waiting for that whistle to blow. And that whistle blew and it was awesome. And it was awesome to compete against another opponent.”

NOTES

• This was a non-conference contest between the two ACC schools
• Virginia held a 10-4 advantage in shots in the first half, but Wake Forest outshot the Cavaliers 14-2 in the second half
• Taylor Henriksen made a career-high nine saves in her second career start
• Two freshmen were in the starting line-up: Anneloes Knol and Lilly Hengerer (Bedminster, N.J.)
• Five other freshmen made their collegiate debuts: Emily Graeff (Phoenixville, Pa.), Esha Shah (Ellicott City, Md.), Alexandra Morgan (Winnetka, Ill.), Meghen Hengerer (Bedminster, N.J.) and Mary VanLoh (Houston, Texas)

UP NEXT

• The two teams play again tomorrow, with that match counting in the ACC standings
• Sunday’s game starts at noon and will be televised on the ACC Network
• It is the conference-opener for both teams