Busy Weekend In Store For Virginia Olympic Sports Teams

As the Autumn season officially begins this weekend, several University of Virginia athletic programs will be in action into the final week of September.

The men’s and women’s cross country teams are back in action today after last week’s home meet was canceled due to the threat of severe weather, as was the case for a handful of other Cavalier teams.

The Wahoos will be one of 28 schools participating at Franklin Park in Chestnut Hill, Mass., for the Coast to Coast Battle in Beantown, with the Women’s 5k beginning at 3 p.m., followed by the Men’s 8k at 3:30.

Each squad will race against four ranked opponents. The Virginia men remain ranked at No. 17 nationally heading into Friday.

The event will provide a preview of what’s to come, as Franklin Park is the site of this year’s ACC Championships in late October.

FIELD HOCKEY

The Virginia field hockey team is also in Massachusetts this weekend, as the No. 10 ‘Hoos (3-3, 1-0) look to stay unbeaten in ACC play when they go up against ninth-ranked Boston College Friday at 6. Coach Michele Madison’s group will then play at Northeastern Sunday at Noon.

It doesn’t get any easier as UVa, led by freshman Grace Wallis, will make up its postponed road game at top-ranked North Carolina Wednesday before hosting No. 7 Louisville next Saturday at 1.

Wallis leads the team in points, goals and assists, and is 4 for 8 on the young season, registering a point in all but one game so far.

MEN’S SOCCER

Following another shutout against Florida International earlier in the week, the Cavaliers as of Thursday were one of just 14 undefeated teams remaining in Division I soccer.

No. 22 Virginia (3-0-2, 0-0-1) tries to keep it rolling at Syracuse today at 5 p.m., a game that was also altered due to inclement weather concerns. The original start time was 7 p.m., and you can still catch it on ACC Network Extra, via the ESPN app.

Sophomore goalkeeper Colin Shutler was awarded with his second ACC Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season last week. He has allowed just one goal all season on 55 shots (20 on goal), and has played in all 490 minutes.

A make-up date for the game against Notre Dame has not been announced.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

The fourth-ranked ‘Hoos dropped their first contest of the year Thursday, falling 1-0 in double overtime in the ACC opener at Clemson.

Virginia (7-1-0, 0-1-0) was upended by the Tigers for the first time in 15 years, as a header got past goalie Laurel Ivory in the 105th minute. UVa failed to get on the board for the first time this season despite holding a 17-10 edge in shots on the night.

First-year forward Rebecca Jarrett was recently named ACC Offensive Player of the Week, while senior Bri Westrup earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Another tough one awaits Steve Swanson’s troops Sunday on Tobacco Road, as they head to Durham to face 12th-ranked Duke. The ‘Hoos will then play at Virginia Tech Thursday at 7 p.m. (a game that was originally scheduled for Sept. 14) before returning to Klöckner Stadium next Sunday against Wake Forest.

VOLLEYBALL

The UVa volleyball team went on the road and gave ninth-ranked Pitt all it could handle, but the Panthers made late comebacks in both the second and third sets for a 3-0 sweep in the ACC opener Wednesday.

The Cavaliers (4-7, 0-1) got a career-high seven blocks from both Jelena Novakovic and Milla Ciprian in the loss. Novakovic added a team-best nine kills.

Virginia travels to Blacksburg Sunday afternoon to face Virginia Tech.

GOLF

The Virginia women’s team made first-year coach Ria Scott’s first tournament a memorable one, as the ‘Hoos rallied for a first-place finish at the Mary Fossum Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., last weekend.

The team edged host Michigan State by two strokes. Senior Anna Redding led the way, shooting 2 under in Sunday’s final round to finish tied for first, knocking in three birdies over her final six holes.

“Anna was driven from the minute she stepped on the golf course. She was in it to win it,” said Scott. “After her birdie on the 13th green, she came up to me and said her goal was to finish the final five holes by going two under. It was incredible to see her accomplish that.”

As a team, the Cavaliers were a combined 10 under par over those last six holes.

The women’s team won’t hit the links again until October 12-14 at the Tar Heel Invitational.

The men’s team is back in action next week, as they compete at the Inverness Invitational in Toledo, Ohio.

TENNIS

The Wahoo tennis teams kick off the fall season this weekend, with the men’s team hosting the UVA Masters tournament, while the women’s team competes in the Big 5 Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.

The singles champion of the men’s tournament — which will be held at both the Snyder Tennis Center and on the Boar’s Head Sports Club’s indoor courts this weekend — earns a wild card into the main draw of the USTA pro event next month at the Boar’s Head.

Results for both events will be posted daily at VirginiaSports.Com.