Junior attacker Delia Cox had one goal on one shot. Virginia had 15 more shots than the Terps and won 16 draws compared to the Terps’ nine.
Charlottesville, Va. – For almost the first 20 minutes of last night’s game against Virginia, the Terrapin women’s lacrosse team played with fiercely and trailed by just one goal to the defending national champions.
And with about 11 minutes remaining in the first half, senior goalie Kirah Miles stonewalled the Cavaliers’ best player — Tewaaraton award winner Amy Appelt — from near point-blank range. But before the Terps could clear the zone, they carelessly committed a turnover and granted another chance to Appelt, who capitalized with a momentum-swinging goal.
Terp coach Cindy Timchal immediately called a timeout to settle her team, but the Terps never fully recovered as Appelt scored four more times to lead Virginia to an impressive 15-8 victory at the University Hall Turf Field.
“We played a real tough first quarter and then we let it get away,” Timchal said. “Virginia is so scrappy on both ends, making you pay.”
With a 6-0 first-half scoring run, the No. 1-ranked Cavaliers all but put the Terps (2-2, 0-2 ACCs) away before intermission. Miles — who looked sharp until Appelt’s score — appeared rattled from that point on, allowing five more goals in the final 10 minutes of the first half.
While the Terps did slow Appelt at times in the first-half, Virginia still found ways to score.
“I think we were concentrating a little too much on Amy [Appelt] and some of the less-noticed people got some opportunities,” senior defender Greta Sommers said.
The No. 7 Terps squandered early scoring chances that would have given them a lead — something they never had yesterday. Midway through the first half, the Terps charged out to a fast break but freshman midfielder Kelly Kasper was denied in the open field by Virginia goalie Ginger Miles.
“We knew how tough their defense is but we had the opportunities to get a goal but we couldn’t finish shots,” Timchal said.
Senior attacker Jessica Dorney — who led the Terps with three goals — suggested one reason for the team’s offensive misfortunes.
“Mentally, maybe we were breaking down,” Dorney said.
Another possible reason why the Terps only mustered two first-half goals was that they drew just one foul on Virginia, while the Cavaliers earned 10.
Down 13-3 midway through the second half, the Terps showed life, scoring three consecutive goals. Kasper tallied the Terps’ sixth goal as she split the defense on a pretty fast break after Sommers began the possession by forcing a turnover.
The Cavaliers, however, responded with two straight goals to seal the game. Virginia outshot the Terps 36-21, and also held a 16-9 advantage on draws.
Dorney was one of the few bright spots for the Terps.
“I had a lot of great assists come into me, so that has a lot to do with it,” Dorney said. “My teammates were getting me the ball.”
Virginia attacker Tyler Leachman matched Appelt’s five-goal output to pace the Cavaliers.
“We were in a position to get back in the game,” Timchal said. “We have that capability, but we just didn’t show it.”
The Terps will try to get back in the win column as they host Brown on Saturday afternoon.
