After each game this weekend, Virginia Field Hockey Head Coach Michele Madison may have a different answer to the question of how the rebuilding effort of her team is going.
On Friday, the Cavaliers did their best impression of the Women's Soccer team and pounded in-state foe VCU by a score of 8-1. Six different players scored for Virginia in the effort. Junior Britt Knouse and Sophomore Elly Buckley each had two goals. Freshmen Jess Orrett and Rachel Sumfest and Sophomores Hadley Bell and Carissa Vittese scored the other four goals for the Cavaliers. One would have to think that Coach Madison was pleased with the performance of her young players.
On Sunday, facing their first ranked opponent of the season, the 'Hoos dropped a 0-3 match to #8 Penn State. While the Nittany Lions had three goals from three different goal-scorers, Madison's Cavs only had 4 players even attempt a shot. Those four players were Britt Knouse, Elly Buckley, Rachel Sumfest and Hadley Bell. Hmm... that sounds like a familiar list. In the post-game, Coach Madison commented that the team didn't play like a team and that they "played like everyone was alone out there."
The Cavaliers now hit the road for seven consecutive non-conference road matches, beginning this Friday against Towson. That match is being played at the University of Maryland in College Park at 3pm. The 'Hoos then travel to Old Dominion on Sunday for a 1pm contest. That is, assuming ODU's field isn't flooded.