Sept. 4, 1999

AMHERST, Mass -- The University of Virginia field hockey team won its season opener under new head coach Jessica Wilk today 2-1 over the University of Massachusetts. USA Team member Jessica Coleman (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) dribbled into the circle and shot into the left sideboard from the right side to send the Cavaliers to the overtime win.

The two teams went into halftime with the score tied at zero but Virginia had outshot the Minutewomen 8-3 and outcornered them 1-0. UMass's goalie Zowie Tucker made three saves in the first half, including two point-blank saves, to keep the Minutewomen even with the Cavaliers.

In the second period, the teams battled back and forth with Virginia able to get a number of breakaways but unable to convert on any of them. The Minutewomen were able to force four early corners but each one was turned away by the Hoos, thanks in large part to the outstanding play of goalie Becky Worthington (Fairview Village, Pa./Methacton) who had six saves for the Cavaliers.

With just over 11 minutes to play, Lorraine Vizzuso (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) took a through ball and took it up the right side of the field where she fed Meredith Elwell (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) in the circle, who deflected the Vizzuso pass into the top of the cage.

The Minutewomen stormed back, finally converting on a corner with 2:04 to play that was deflected into the cage. Regulation ended with the two teams tied 1-1.

In the overtime period, the Cavaliers held the ball in their offensive end the entire time. Coleman took a loose ball on the left side, took it to the right, and shot into the left sideboard for the victory.

The win was the first win for Virginia head coach Jessica Wilk, who is in her first year as head coach at Virginia.

The Cavaliers will face Quinnipiac tomorrow, Sunday, September 5 at 1:00 at Massachusetts. They return home on Friday, September 10 to face the Michigan Wolverines at 4:00 pm.

SCORING SUMMARY

                    1   2   ot  F
Virginia            0   1   1   2 (1-0)
Massachusetts       0   1   0   1 (1-1)

Scoring: UVA: Elwel (Vizzuso)/11:40 (2), M: Geryk (Schmidt)/2:04 (2), V: Coleman /12:32 (1ot)
Goals: V: Elwell, Coleman M: Geryk
Assists: V: Vizzuso M: Schmidt
Saves: V: 6 (Worthington 6), M: 9 (Tucker 9)
Corners: V: 4, M: 6
Shots: V: 18, M: 12