CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW)-  Most of the players on this year’s Virginia football roster weren’t with the team in 2022, when former players Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry and Devin Chandler were shot to death on campus. Still, as Saturday’s UVA Strong day approached last week, coach Tony Elliott said he could tell everyone in his program was focused on honoring the trio.

“Super proud of the players in the locker room for taking ownership of something they really didn’t know or understand,” Elliott said after his team dismantled visiting FCS foe William & Mary, 55-16, on Saturday. “They know they’ve got Virginia on their chest. They said they’re going to carry the burden.”

Chandler Morris, after a strong performance in the majority of the first half, was deemed surplus to requirements, having made his presence felt on the scoreboard.  Morris made way for Nebraska transfer Daniel Kaelin and later Cole Geer under center to take the game home. 

The Hoos’ ACC opener awaits next Saturday, as they welcome the 1-2 Stanford Cardinal, who just earned its first win of the year against Boston College in their ACC opener by a score of 30-20. 

Women’s Soccer  

Despite the defense staying busy until the final whistle, the Hoos put on a top-class attacking display, peppering No. 2 Duke’s net with 18 shots and finding the back of it three times.  Lia Godfrey benefitted from stellar service that started all the way back in Virginia’s six-year box in a lightning quick break to give the Hoos the lead just four minutes into the match.  Ella Carter doubled the lead just seven minutes later, and Laney Rouse put the game to bed in the 49th minute with a goal of her own. 

Despite allowing a Mia Minestrella goal in the 28th minute for the visitors, Victoria Safradin and the Virginia back line were in complete control with Safradin making six saves and the Cavaliers committing only three fouls throughout the match to Duke’s ten.  A 3-0 drubbing of VCU Sunday, with goals coming from Addison Halpern, Maggie Cagle, and Jill Flamia, punctuated a thrilling weekend for the Hoos.   

Up next, they’ll face a Syracuse looking to rebound from a 4-0 defeat to Florida State.  The Orange are 4-2-4 on the year.  The match is Saturday, September 20th at 7 p.m. in upstate New York.   

Men’s Soccer 

The men’s team was in Kentucky on Saturday evening in search of a true statement victory as their ACC slate continues, and thanks to Luke Burns, they earned it over #6 Louisville.  The Cardinals made early noise to begin the year with a dramatic 1-0 win at No. 1 Stanford to open the season and went into this game favored against a Hoos side that dropped points in the Commonwealth Clash last time out.  It was not clean, with three men on each team in the referee’s book on yellow cards by the time the game ended.  Both keepers were quite busy in the second half, after a first period that saw shots coming at premium at each end, the Cardinals outshot the Hoos 14-11 in the second. 

However, thanks to a Luke Burns rocket on a Marco Dos Santos rebound, Virginia left Kentucky the victors, keeping the Cardinals off the board after the 73rd minute winning goal.  Wake Forest looms in a tantalizing revenge match for the Hoos next Friday at 7 p.m. in Charlottesville.  Wake earned a hard-fought point against the No. 21 North Carolina with a 1-1 draw.  They are yet to lose this season, sitting at a 4-0-2 record.  

Field Hockey 

Meanwhile, the Virginia Field Hockey team continued their excellent start to the year with a 4-1 victory over JMU.  Following two contests that saw the Cavalier offense struggling to score despite 1-0 victories counting the same, four different Hoos broke through to beat the JMU defense in front of the home crowd, including Emma Watchila, Mary Adams, Riley Savage, and Mia Abello.  The Dukes forced three saves from Virginia keeper Nilou Lempers, but the only goal would be all they earned for their trouble. 

ACC play commences next week, with an appointment against the Boston College Eagles set for Friday, September 19th at 5:00pm in Charlottesville, followed by a Sunday showdown at noon against the Syracuse Orange on the road.  The Eagles are 3-3 following a 1-0 defeat to BU last time out, while the Orange are 6-0, thanks in part to impressive wins against three ranked opponents in No. 16 Rutgers, No. 13 Ohio State, and No. 11 Princeton.  They will face Wake Forest at home before welcoming Virginia.   

Volleyball 

UVA Volleyball had a frustrating week.  The Hoos were swept out during the Showdown at the Net against a powerhouse Auburn Tigers team on Tuesday as part of the ACC/SEC challenge event.  They returned home on Friday for two matches against the Michigan Wolverines in front of a friendly crowd.  Friday would prove the highlight of the week, with both teams trading sets until the end, neither side scoring lower than 19 points throughout the first four sets, before Virginia sealed off a home victory with a masterful team effort in set five.  Unfortunately, the next day did not feature any momentum from the last match, as the Wolverines turned around and beat an apparently outmatched Wahoo side in three straight sets to close out the weekend on Saturday.  They will head to Columbus next weekend for matches against Ohio State and Troy.  UVA battles the Buckeyes Friday at 5:00pm, and the Trojans on Saturday at 3:00pm.   

Final Thoughts 

In other action around Grounds, both tennis teams have begun their seasons as their members compete as individuals and doubles in the leadup to NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships in November.  The No. 18 women’s golf team finished second only to Kent State at the Wolverine Invitational, with Jaclyn LaHa leading the line.  She finished fifth overall with a 3-over-216.  Finally, the Cavalier Cross Country teams showed just who’s invitational it was in their home meet at Panorama Farms on Friday.  The Men’s team dominated the 8K, with six Hoos among the first ten finishers, including first and second.  The Women dominated the 5k as well, with Gillian Bushee victory and seven other Hoos in the top ten putting a stranglehold on the race.  TFXC is back in action in two weeks.