No. 10 Virginia Blanks No. 11 Syracuse 3-0

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 10 Virginia field hockey team (5-3, 1-1 ACC) picked up a 3-0 victory against No. 11 Syracuse (7-2, 1-1 ACC) on Friday (Sept. 23) at Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va.

The Cavaliers dominated the game, taking a season-high 26 shots while limiting the Orange to just two shots through the first three quarters of play.

Senior Cato Geusgens scored two of Virginia’s three goals.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Virginia jumped out on the attack early, taking 10 shots in the first period. UVA was awarded a penalty corner with 20 seconds left in the opening quarter. An initial shot by Noa Boterman was saved. The refs initially called a penalty on the Cavaliers, but after a challenge, a second penalty corner was awarded for UVA with two seconds left on the clock. Geusgens knocked in her shot from the top of the circle to give UVA a 1-0 lead.

Virginia continued the pressure in the second quarter, firing off another seven shots to take a 17-2 shot differential into the halftime break, as well as the one-goal lead.

The Cavaliers added their second goal on their 13th penalty corner of the game in the fourth quarter.  Adele Iacobucci sent a hard pass over to Laura Janssen who was positioned at the corner of the cage to deflect it in.

Syracuse pulled its goalkeeper with 3:48 remaining in the game, a move that proved costly when UVA earned its 14th penalty corner of the game. With no keeper in the net, the Orange defense could not keep Geusgens shot out of the cage.

NOTES

• Virginia held a 26-8 edge in shots. Six of Syracuse’s shots came in the fourth quarter and three of those were in the final 30 seconds of play
• Virginia held a 14-6 edge on penalty corners
• Laura Janssen’s goal is her team-leading seventh of the year
• Cato Geusgens goals were her second and third of the year
• Annie McDonough and Daniela Mendez-Trendler assisted on both of Geusgen’s goals
• Syracuse’s Brooke Borzymowski made 12 saves
• Jet Trimborn made four saves for the Cavaliers
• It was the Cavaliers’ second shutout victory of the year and the first shutout in Trimborn’s career

FROM HEAD COACH MICHELE MADISON

“The team stepped up today. They put the pressure on, and they kept the pressure on. They were relentless in their pursuit. Our defensive corners showed up and took away their chances. It was a total team effort on our part. They just dug deep and did what it takes to win and dominate an ACC game.”

ON THE HORIZON

• The Cavaliers conclude their homestand next weekend by hosting No. 3 Louisville on Friday, Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. and No. 17 William & Mary on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m.