Despite the Cavaliers' comeback victory over Duke on Senior Day on Saturday, Virginia did not receive a first round bye in the 2009 ACC Field Hockey Championships held this upcoming weekend in Charlottesville. Maryland (18-0, 5-0 ACC) earned the top seed and a first-round bye, while North Carolina (16-1, 4-1 ACC) was awarded the No. 2 seed and the other bye.
Host and third-seeded Virginia (16-2, 3-2 ACC) will play a rematch against sixth-seeded Duke (9-9, 0-5 ACC) in the first round at 3:30 p.m. after No. 4 Wake Forest plays No. 5 Boston College. The ACC champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where league teams have historically had great success. League teams have captured 14 of 26 NCAA titles since 1983, including the last seven in a row. Suffice it to say that a lot rides on this tournament.
Virginia's only two losses this entire season have come to No. 1 Maryland and No. 2 North Carolina, the latter in overtime. Virginia started the season ranked sixth in the country and have only risen since then, finishing third in the regular season. The Hoos ride a 2-game win streak into the tournament.