October 23, 1998

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Cavalier defense allowed only four shots on goal while senior All-American Meridith Thorpe (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs) netted a hat trick to help the Cavaliers defeat sixtheenth-ranked Wake Forest 6-0 today in Charlottesville. Senior All-American Michelle Vizzuso (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) added three assists to send the Cavaliers to the victory. The six goals is the most goals allowed by Wake this season, which ranked first in the conference in scoring defense, allowing only 1.00 goals per game before today.

After 20 minutes of movement up and down the field by both teams, Vizzuso started the scoring for the Cavaliers with a blast from just inside the circle after she had drawn the Wake keeper out of the net. Her goal with 10:38 remaining in the half would prove to be the game-winner. Wake went down 2-0 just 42 seconds later when Thorpe's shot was deflected by a Wake defender into the cage. Laura Lindsay (Deerfield, Mass./Deerfield) was credited with an assist on the goal.

Wake was able to force a pair of corners in a ten-second span with two minutes to go in the half, but both shots were saved by Virginia goalie Becky Worthington (Fairview Village, Pa./Methacton), who finished the day with three saves. The teams entered halftime with Virginia holding a 2-0 lead.

Thorpe hit the third goal on a beautiful cross by Amy Broadwater (Elizabethtown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) just 12:26 into the second half. Worthington came up big for the Cavaliers as she saved a tipped shot that almost dipped into the cage minutes later, but her save on the last Demon Deacon shot preserved the victory.

Vizzuso and Meredith Elwell (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) teamed up for the next two goals, ten minutes apart. With 17:50 remaining in the half, Vizzuso's pass into the circle was collected by Elwell, who put the ball in the cage behind the goalie who had come out to play Vizzuso. The Cavaliers went up 5-0 ten minutes later when Vizzuso's pass was poked in past the keeper on a breakway.

Thorpe completed her hat trick with just 34 seconds remaining as the Cavaliers connected on a penalty corner. Vizzuso's stick stop was pushed to Thorpe, who swept the ball into the net for the final score of the game. Vizzuso's assist gives her 22 for the season, which sets a new Virginia record for assists in a season, breaking the 21 she had set last year. Her first period goal gives her 10 goals on the season, which means that for the third consecutive season, Vizzuso has scored in double digits in both goals and assists in a single season. She was the first Cavalier to reach this milestone two years ago and is the only person in school history to reach this milestone in three consecutive seasons.

With the win, the Hoos have now won 21 straight games in October and have won 14 in a row at home, including ten this season. They look to continue both streaks as Virginia hosts Radford on Wed, Oct. 28 at 7:00.

FINAL             1   2   F (records)
#16 Wake Forest   0   0   0 (9-7, 1-2 ACC)
#1 Virginia       2   4   6 (13-3, 3-0 ACC)

Scoring summary: M. Vizzuso/10:38 (1); Thorpe (Lindsay)/9:56(1); Thorpe (Boradwater)/22:34(2); Elwell(M. Vizzuso)/17:50(2); Elwell (Vizzuso)/7:15(2); Thorpe (M. Vizzuso)/0:34(2).

Goals: V: Thorpe 3, Elwell 2, M. Vizzuso 1

Assists: V: M. Vizzuso 3, Lindsay, Broadwater

Shots: V: 12, WF: 4

Corners: V: 10, WF: 4

Saves: V: 3 (Worthington 3); WF: 4 (Nitka 4)

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