CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In the final home game of the 2026 regular season, the No. 18 Virginia field hockey team (8-5, 3-4 ACC) will welcome the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals to Turf Field on Friday (Oct. 23) for a contest that will double as the program’s Senior Day.
The Senior Day recognition will take place following the contest and will feature Ria Chhina, Mia Abello, Cassidy Thibodeau, Nilou Lempers, Emma Watchilla, Emma Giesting and Charlie Webb.
HOW TO WATCH
The Friday will be streamed on ACCNX. Links to the live stream and live stats are available at VirginiaSports.com. Updates will also be posted to the team’s official X account (@UVAFieldHockey).
Vs. Louisville on Friday at 3 p.m.
MATCH NOTES
- Virginia and Louisville are both ranked in the top 20 of the NFHCA poll.
- Friday’s contest will be the 23rd meeting between UVA and Louisville, with the Cavaliers winning 13 of the 22 previous matchups.
- Louisville enters the matchup with a 9-6 overall record and a 3-3 mark in ACC Play. The Cardinals have dropped their previous two ACC meetings against Syracuse and Duke.
- Louisville brings a 2-5 record against ranked opponents in 2026 to Charlottesville.
- In the 2025 meeting, the Cavaliers downed the Cardinals 2-0 in Louisville behind goals from Mary Adams and Amelie Rees. Lempers made six saves to pick up the shoutout for UVA.
- Mia Abello leads all Cavaliers with six goals. Abello and first year Caitlin Connell are tied for the team lead in points with 12 each.
- Fourth Year Emma Watchilla leads UVA and ranks second in the ACC with eight assists on the campaign.
ON THE HORIZON
Virginia will return to Chapel Hill, N.C. to compete in the 2026 ACC Championship on Nov. 3-6. Brackets for the 2026 ACC Championship will be released after the of the final regular-season match.