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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The No. 2 Virginia field hockey team fell
3-2 in the NCAA semifinals to third-seeded North Carolina Friday in Winston-Salem, N.C. Senior
Traci Ragukas and sophomore Paige Selenski scored for the Cavaliers.
Ending a historic year
at 20-4, Virginia set a program record for wins in a season and games played.
The team made its third overall appearance in the NCAA semifinals and its first
since 1998.
"They were just so excited," head
coach Michele Madison said of her squad. "They worked the whole season to be
here. They are a good, young team and they just wanted to get on that field and
play. Nerves are a good thing. They let you know you're still alive, and they
will make you work hard."
No. 3 North Carolina
(18-2) moves on to play reigning national champion Maryland (23-0), which
earlier in the day defeated Princeton 7-5.
For the game, UNC had a
slight advantage on shots, 12-11, with Virginia taking eight penalty corners to
seven for the Tar Heels. Junior keeper Kim Kastuk recorded five saves for the
Orange and Blue, as did North Carolina's Jackie Kintzer.
Carolina got on the
board first with a goal in the 23rd minute after both defenses stayed strong to
start the game. Danielle Forword notched her 15th goal of the season, converting
on a penalty corner with an assist from teammate Katelyn Falgowski.
"North Carolina came out strong, and they were able to get
the corners," Madison said. "I thought our defense held them off well, and we
were able to shut down their corner opportunities except the very last one that
they did score on. That's what the
championship game is about. You
have to be able to put it in when you have the chance."
The Tar Heels led 1-0
at halftime.
In the second half,
Virginia came out dominating, with Ragukas causing problems for the opposition. On a penalty corner, Inga Stöckel took a shot
that rammed into the back of the cage, hitting the board, but was called back
after being ruled too high at the goal line.
The Cavaliers continued
their offensive pace and tied the game when Ragukas notched her 10th goal of
the season, sliding in front of the cage to be placed in the right corner of
the net. The goal came in the 48th minute.
Less than two minutes
later, North Carolina responded when Taryn Gjurich tallied her first score of
the year on another assist from Falgowski. Then in the 54th minute, the Tar
Heels took a two-goal lead wtih Elizabeth Drazdowski putting one through for a
3-1 advantage.
Virginia did not quit,
and was able to score to come within one goal when Selenski converted on a
penalty corner, tipping the ball in on a shot from Stöckel at the top of the
circle.
The Cavaliers outshot
North Carolina 8-4 in the second half and registered seven of its eight penalty
corners to one for UNC.
Full Scoreboard
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations
