The Virginia field hockey team overcame a slow start to defeat Longwood 3-1 tonight in Farmville. Haley Carpenter came off the bench to notch her first collegiate tally to get things started, and Abby Taylor added a goal and an assist on the final two goals of the game. No. 15/19 Virginia (9-7) outshot the Lancers 13-7 en route to the victory.

After an early flurry by the Lancers, the Cavaliers were buoyed as players came off the bench to make a significant impact on the game. After Traci Ragukas stole the ball along the right side of the pitch and gained the 25, she sent the ball over to Katherine Bounds, whose hit entered the circle and caromed over to Carpenter on the left. The first-year gained control of the ball and, falling to the pitch and getting her frock wet, shot a reverse stick strike to the opposite corner of the cage at 24:15 for the first goal of the game. Boyd Vicars came in and helped deny the Lancers a shot for the remainder of the half, and Virginia led 1-0 at the break.

In the second half the Cavaliers attacked early and often, gaining the 25 after a lead pass by Ragukas found Laura Nelson, whose initial shot was saved by Longwood’s Avanell Schmitz. Virginia regained control and Taylor took the ball off the long corner, entered the circle, and thundered a reverse stick shot that found the boards at 42:38 for a 2-0 lead. Longwood cut the deficit to one as Katie Claxton gained the 25 and then the circle, where her shot hit the nets at 59:33 for a 2-1 Cavalier lead.

The Hoos responded as Sara Confer picked up the ball at midfield and attacked the circle, gaining a short corner. As the injector, she sent the ball into Taylor who stopped the ball for Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn, whose direct strike hit the boards for a goal at 62:04.

With the win, the Cavaliers improve to 9-7 and will turn around to face the Demon Deacons on Saturday, Oct. 20. Game time at Wake Forest is 1 p.m.

 
UVa 3, Longwood 1 

Linescore   1    2    F    (records)
Virginia    1    2    3    (9-7)
Longwood    0    1    1    (5-13)

Scoring summary:
24:15    VA    fg    Carpenter (---)                       1-0
42:38    VA    fg    Taylor (---)                          2-0
59:33    LU    fg    Claxton (---)                         2-1
62:04    VA    pc    Kaars Sijpesteijn (Taylor, Confer)    3-1

Keepers: VA Desjadon (35 mins, 3 saves, 0 GA); Burnley (35 mins, 1 save, 1 GA)
    LU: Schmitz (70 mins, 10 saves, 3 GA)

Shots: VA 13, LU 7
Short corners: VA 4, LU 5