No. 8 Virginia’s Attack Dominates in 3-0 Win Against Towson

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 8 Virginia field hockey team (3-1) picked up its second shutout of the weekend, winning 3-0 against Towson on Sunday (Sept. 5) at Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va.

The Cavaliers were on the attack most of the game, taking 53 shots and earning 22 penalty corners. Towson took just one shot in the game.

Senior back Amber Ezechiels scored the game-winner in the first quarter. Freshman striker Noa Boterman scored her second goal of the season while freshman striker Taryn Tkachuk tallied her first collegiate goal.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Cavaliers started strong, earning their first penalty corner a minute into the game, and tallying 14 shots in the first period alone. Ezechiels scored on UVA’s final penalty corner, and final shot of the period when junior midfielder Adele Iacobucci corralled the ball after insertion and sent a pass to a wide-open Ezechiels on the left corner of the net. She knocked it in for the 1-0 lead.

Despite 17 shots in the second quarter, UVA went into halftime with that same 1-0 advantage.

Virginia took a 2-0 lead on a perfect set-up in the third quarter from junior midfielder Danielle Husar to Boterman. Husar sent a cross to Boterman who was in the center of the circle with Boterman firing off an on-target attempt to give UVA a 2-0 lead. Tkachuk made it 3-0 when she converted a penalty stroke in that same period.

Towson’s graduate student goalkeeper Lena Vandam had a career-day in goal, making 21 saves. The 2020 CAA Defensive Player of the Year also had a backline that added five defensive saves.

NOTES

• 29 of Virginia’s 53 shots were on goal
• 53 was the most shots that Virginia has taken in a game since at least 2008. The previous high in that span was 44 against Towson in 2012
• The NCAA does not keep records for shots in a game
• Virginia averaged 26.0 shots per game in 2020-21
• Virginia’s 22 penalty corners are the most by one team in a single game so far this season. The previous high was 17 by James Madison vs St. Francis (8/29)
• Amber Ezechiels took 14 shots
• With her goal today, Ezechiels has had a goal or an assist in every game this season and leads the team with seven points
• Taryn Tkachuk is 1-of-2 on penalty strokes this season
• Taylor Henriksen got the start in goal and improves to 2-0 this season. She made UVA’s lone save
• Freshman Tyler Kennedy played the second half in net, earning credit for a combined shutout for the second time this weekend. She did not face a shot
• Lena Vandam’s previous career-high for saves was 13 saves
• Her 22 saves are the most by any player in a single game so far this season. The previous high was 15 by Ryan Curley of LaSalle
• Virginia tallied a 5-0 win against another CAA opponent, William & Mary, on Friday

FROM HEAD COACH MICHELE MADISON

“I’m happy about our offensive output, our ability to create attack and grow. To create all of those shots and corners, that’s amazing. Fifty-three shots, that might be a record. They’re very good at circle defense and their goalkeeper was outstanding. We work on creating chances and getting the shot off, which we did because it was on target, but their goalie was phenomenal and with a goalie like that you have to jump on the rebounds. You want to try to get the second and third shot.”

ON THE HORIZON

• Virginia plays a lone game next weekend, hosting Miami of Ohio on Friday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.