Virginia        8
Richmond    0
Rebecca Jarrett killed this game in the third minute when she collected a weak clearance, took one touch, and rifled a shot right by Richmond keeper, Claire Hinkle. On the night, Hinkle must have felt very much like the proverbial fish in the barrel because Virginia was taking pot shots at the Richmond goal all night long. The Cavaliers would end up with 32 shots, 20 of which were on goal.
Richmond coach Marty Beall had stated that he wanted his team to come out and play their game – and not parking the bus in an attempt to eke out 0 – 0 draw – and to use the game as a jumping off point to prepare them for their Colonial Athletic Association season. He has also scheduled an out-of-conference slate that includes Virginia Tech and Maryland. He’s to be commended for reaching for the stars, because that’s all Richmond did on the evening as the Cavaliers just stomped the Spiders.
The difference in class could most obviously be seen in the acres of space that Jarrett and defender Laney Rouse found down the right side. The 3-back defense is very much the flavor of the month, formation wise, this decade, but most teams that employ this approach have two wide midfielders/outside backs who have extensive defensive responsibilities. In other words, the three backs are mostly central defenders. Not in this lineup. It was Rouse who provided the width, as one of the three defenders, leaving only Talia Staude and the left defender, nominally Samar Guidry, to cover the back. Richmond had no answer for Rouse and she had more unfettered time on the ball in this game than maybe she had all of last season. Rouse had an assist on a driving cross that found Hopkins (more on her later) and she showed a Jarrett-like ability to get to the end line and cut in, driving straight at goal.
Last year it was Samar Guidry who had more of the green light going forward, but she was definitely more hesitant venturing forward playing out of a back three. In the second half Swanson switched back to the more familiar back four and it was like a switch turned on for Guidry. I had literally just written in my log book — Guidry looks much brighter in the 4 – when she cut in at the top of the box and slotted home her first career goal. Maybe she’s outgrown the freshman effect. Last season she would more often make the cut, gather the ball on her right foot, only to pass out of pressure, and in effect, slow the attack down. Guidry is a fabulous dribbler. If she has developed a nose for goal, this will make the Virginia attack that much mor frightening.
The revelation for the game surely must be the play of Vanderbilt transfer Haley Hopkins, who arrived on Grounds as the second leading scorer in Vandy history, as well as a two-time 3rd-team All American. Swanson has obviously recognized the talent she brings because he’s basically shoehorned Hopkins into the front four.
Eighteen minutes after Jarrett scored, she lofted a beautiful cross to nominal center forward Diana Ordonez. It was the kind of ball that you would expect your 5’11” striker to be able to bury in the back of the net. But she misplayed her run and she simply missed the ball. Enter Hopkins, who clearly knows how to attack an aerial ball, and she headed home the second goal of the night from just a foot or two behind Ordonez. Combined with her header off the Rouse cross, Hopkins showed that we have a true aerial threat.
And that may make Ordonez more effective because she is a much better finisher when the ball is on the deck. She has a quick release and both goals she scored on the night were largely through traffic and were what I like to call striker’s goals.
Swanson has been quoted as describing this team having a hunger to improve on last season and that there’s a sense of “unfinished business” from last year’s penalty debacle versus Florida State. With covid granting Lizzie Sieracki a 6th year and Laurel Ivory a 5th year, and red shirts being given to Sydney Zandi and Taryn Torres, the senior leadership that would normally have departed after the College Cup, has returned. According to Swanson, there is an urgency in this team to get started quickly and get down to business. An eight-goal explosion may have been just the ticket.
Up next: Virginia travels to Morgantown to take on West Virginia. Last spring the Cavaliers faced off against the Mountaineers twice, losing and drawing in the process. The NCAA seeding committee tried their best to schedule an early-round rubber match in the NCAA tournament, only for Rice to upend WVU. If possible, both UVa and WVU are seeking revenge for last season. Game time is Sunday, 22 August at 2pm.
Injury Notes: After last season, I am skittish. I am going to worry about injuries and contact tracing (Thanks Delta!) all season long. Defender Lizzie Sieracki did not play, though she was at the game. Alexa Spaanstra tweaked her ankle, tried to play, and ended up being the first starter pulled before Swanson unloaded his bench and turned the game over to the green team. (It should be noted that midfielder Sarah Brunner made the most of her extended playing time and was the brightest player on the pitch for the game’s last 25 minutes.