Photo courtesy of Virginia Athletics Communications
No. 16 Virginia Field Hockey Pulls 2-1 Upset at No. 6 Syracuse
The Virginia field hockey team picked up its biggest win of the season on Friday afternoon, stunning No. 6 Syracuse in a 2-1 road victory.
The Orange came into this game on a nine-game winning streak, including four straight wins over ranked opponents.
The first half was a defensive stalemate and the two teams combined for just five total shots, with only one shot on goal.
After a scoreless first half, Syracuse turned up their offensive intensity with six shots in the third quarter, three of which went on goal. Each of those shots on goal were saved by UVA goalkeeper Tyler Kennedy, who finished with five saves.
Despite Syracuse generating so many offensive opportunities, it was Virginia who scored first.
With only seconds remaining in the third quarter, Junior midfielder Danielle Husar scored off of a pass by Adele Iacobucci to break the scoreless tie.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers got a crucial insurance goal as freshman midfielder Noa Boterman scored off of a penalty corner to give UVA a 2-0 lead.
That goal ended up being the difference, as Syracuse got on the board with 4:37 remaining on a penalty stroke goal by Laura Graziosi.
The Virginia defense held and, despite being outshot 15-8 in the match by the Orange, the Cavaliers prevailed with the huge 2-1 victory.
The victory is a significant one as the Hoos look to make a late push to build their NCAA Tournament resume with just two games left on the schedule. With the win, UVA improves to 9-6 overall and 3-2 in ACC play.
Up next, Virginia returns home to face Drexel on Sunday at 12pm.