Virginia’s Fall Season Ends With a Loss in the ACC Semifinals

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Virginia field hockey team (4-7) had its fall season come to an end with a 5-2 loss to Louisville (8-1) in the semifinals of the 2020 ACC Field Hockey Championships on Friday (Nov. 6) in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Louisville broke open a 1-1 game by scoring three goals in the third quarter. Sophomore midfielder Adele Iacobucci (Malvern, Pa.) and junior striker Peyton Tollaksen (Chesapeake, Va.) scored the goals for the Cavaliers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

It took less than two minutes into Friday’s match for the Cardinals to get on the scoreboard, as Aimee Plumb’s third career goal staked Louisville to a quick 1-0 lead.

Iacobucci answered for Virginia at the 5:45 mark of the opening quarter, firing in a strong shot with authority from the right side to tie score.

With the score knotted at 1-1, Louisville took control of the match with a three-goal blitz in the first nine minutes of the second half. Julie Kouijzer started things off with an assist to Katie Schneider, who fired in a short-range shot for the tie-breaking goal. Less than three minutes later, Madison Walsh drilled her third goal of the season from the right side to push Louisville’s lead to 3-1.Margot Lawn struck again with just a little more than six minutes remaining in the third period, scoring off Alli Bitting’s assist for a 4-1 Cardinals advantage.

Freshman Charlie van Oirschot added the fifth goal for the Cardinals in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Tollaksen closed out the scoring for both teams with her first goal of the season in final minutes, scoring on a shot after picking up a rebound off the goalie pads from an initial attempt by junior Greer Gill (Virginia Beach, Va.).

FROM HEAD COACH MICHELE MADISON
“It’s amazing in sport and maybe politics too,  how one day you can feel totally invincible and the next day you can be humbled to the extent of being jolted  into reality. I guess the vulnerability of it all is what makes great teams great.  I have a clear picture the steps ahead for us and look forward to getting back on the horse immediately.

I remain extremely proud of what this team did collectively and individually on a daily basis through these challenging times of COVID. It wasn’t easy for anyone. There was not an easy day. We just have to look forward to rebounding and becoming stronger than we were before.”

NOTES

• Virginia was the No. 4 seed in the tournament. Louisville was the top-seeded team
• Louisville held a 13-6 edge in shots and outshot the Cavaliers 8-0 in the second and third quarters
• Virginia did not have its first penalty corner until 3:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. Louisville had six corners
• Five different players scored the five Cardinal goals
• Peyton Tollaksen’s goal was her first of the season. Adele Iacobucci’s was her fourth of the year
• Junior goalkeeper Lauren Hausheer (West Windsor, N.J.) started the game in goal, allowing four goals and making one save. Sophomore Taylor Henriksen (Falls Church, Va.) played the final 21:13 minutes, allowing one goal with three saves
• Louisville’s Hollyn Barr made three saves
• Laura Janssen and Adele Iacobucci were named to the All-Tournament Team