Wake Forest University
Virginia
Wake Forest Takes on Virginia in Final Home Game of the Spring
3/26/2021 10:50:00 AM | Field Hockey
The Deacs look to take season series with the Cavaliers
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- No. 11 Wake Forest field hockey takes the turf at Kentner Stadium for the final time in the 2020-21 season on Saturday, when the Deacs take on No. 13 Virginia in an ACC matchup at noon.
Wake Forest (5-9, 2-1 ACC) will look to continue their run in the top half of the ACC standings. Virginia (5-9, 0-2 ACC) will look to maintain their momentum from a 5-2 non-conference victory over James Madison this past Sunday.
Wake Forest fans can watch all the action on ACC Network Extra.
Stay tuned to the Demon Deacons social media accounts (@WakeHockey) for all in-game updates and information.
Climbing the Rankings
Wake Forest is ranked No. 11 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's second poll of the 2020-21 season, which came out on Monday.
This marks the 20th-straight poll that the Deacs have been ranked, and the highest ranking for the program since the team started the 2019 season ranked 10th in the NFHCA preseason poll. The Deacs opened the 2021 poll ranked No. 13 last week.
All seven ACC teams were ranked inside the top 20. Reigning national champions North Carolina took the top spot on the poll, while 2020 ACC Tournament Runner-Up Louisville clocked in at No. 3. Syracuse rounded out the ACC's three teams in the top 10 at No. 9.
Glaister Wins Defensive Player of the Week
Wake Forest field hockey freshman goalkeeper Tori Glaister was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week, announced by the league on Tuesday afternoon.
The London, England native earns her first conference honor after playing an instrumental part in the Deacs' 4-1 victory over Duke in Durham on March 19. Glaister tallied a career-high tying six saves and helped Wake Forest's defense hold the Blue Devils scoreless for 52-plus minutes of their second win of the spring.
Through three games in 2021, the freshman has tallied 15 saves and has only allowed three goals while facing 39 shots. In Wake Forest's spring opener against Boston College, Glaister again notched six saves en route to the Deacons first shutout over an ACC opponent since 2017.
Last Time Out
Wake Forest jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in Durham, N.C., riding the momentum of a pair of first period goals to a 4-1 win over Duke last Saturday.
The Deacons came out firing in the first period as sophomore Nat Friedman put Wake Forest in front with her fifth goal of the season. Just minutes later, junior Olivia Corthals scored the first goal of her career off a deflected shot from Friedman on a penalty corner opportunity.
Sophomore Meike Lanckohr scored the Deacs' third goal of the match and her fourth of the season in the third period on another penalty corner.
After Duke got on the board with less than eight minutes remaining to cut the lead to 3-1, freshman Hannah Maxwell quickly answered with her third goal of the season, and the final score of the match, to seal the victory.
Scouting the Cavaliers
Laura Janssen leads the Virginia attack this season in both goals and points, scoring seven times in 14 games for a total of 14 points. The Dutch forward has directed 15 shots on goal out of her 20 total shots this season. Fellow Netherlands native Amber Ezechiels leads Virginia in assists with six this season. The defensive back is third on the team with 12 points.
In the cage, Lauren Hausheer and Taylor Henriksen have split starting duties for the Cavaliers. Hausheer has started the last two contests for Virginia, earning the loss against Louisville and the win over James Madison. The junior has made 33 saves with a save percentage of .623 this season. Henriksen last played against Duke on March 5, taking the loss in a 2-0 contest. The sophomore leads the team in saves with 37 and save percentage with .755.
2020-21 Spring Season Information
Saturday marks the second of six games against conference opponents this spring. The ACC was the only conference in Division I to play a fall field hockey season, as the NCAA moved its championship to the spring.
The top ACC finisher this spring will face fall champion North Carolina on April 23 to claim the conference's automatic qualifying spot to the NCAA tournament.
Fan Information
Kentner Stadium will host a limited number of student-athlete families, Wake Forest students and University faculty and staff during Saturday's season opener.
Masks will be mandatory along with all other social distancing and safety requirements under Wake Forest, Forsyth County and State of North Carolina regulations as we uphold the Show Humanitate standard of our University.
Looking Ahead
The Deacs take the road for their final two ACC games of the season. Wake Forest first travels north to take on Syracuse on April 2, before traveling to Louisville two weeks later on April 17.
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