Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

(Check back later in the day for previews of the later games.)

(1) Virginia vs (10) Virginia Tech – 7:00 PM

Virginia Tech is all that stands between Virginia and a previously unthinkable accomplishment. Most felt that the ACC title battle would be a war of attrition that would go down to the wire. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that few, if any, prognosticators could foresee anyone going perfect in thirteen league games. I doubt that Virginia was on anyone’s minds as said runaway champions either, as the Cavs were likely thought of as another quality side with College Cup ambitions but a juggernaut? It’s the reality though, as UVA has seen off every challenge thrown in its direction, aiming to finish the regular season, 19-0-0. The pulsating win over Notre Dame seems like ancient history now, with the club having not given up a goal in the five matches since, which includes wins over Wake Forest, North Carolina, and most recently, Florida State. The 1-0 margin of victory over FSU flattered the vanquished Seminoles, who managed just one off-target shot over the course of ninety plus minutes of regulation and extra time. FSU did manage to hold the dynamic duo of Makenzy Doniak and Brittany Ratcliffe to one combined shot on goal, but in the end, it was unheralded but uber-talented defensive midfielder Annie Steinlage who netted one of the season’s biggest goals for UVA, finishing from twelve yards not a minute into extra time. It was a goal that ensured the Cavs come into this one with a shot at ACC perfection, which is really all the home side have to play for at this point on Thursday night, other than bragging rights. The regular season title is in the bag, as is a #1 seed unless the selection committee drops the ball. Really, this one’s all about the history books, and it’d take a brave soul to bet against a UVA side that’s had Virginia Tech’s number historically.

Virginia Tech will be looking for just their third win over their in-state rivals and their first since 2009, when the Hokies won 2-1 on Klockner Field. The Hokies haven’t scored in the four meetings since, all of which have been pretty lopsided beatdowns from the Cavs. This Hokies side looks to be a cut above previous incarnations though, and it’s going to take something special for the home side to blow this VT side out. The Hokies were likely still smarting from a 2-1 defeat to Florida State on home soil last Thursday, snapping a four match win streak and nine match unbeaten streak in the league that had driven the side up the ACC table. Miami (FL) proved to be a very tough out on Senior Day for the Hokies, as a game of missed opportunities for both sides swung VT’s way after they successfully guarded a 1-0 lead the club had earned on an early Murielle Tiernan goal. It was the Hokies’ fifth one-goal win in the ACC and ninth clean sheet of the year, both impressive marks for Chugger Adair’s side and a big reason why they’ll host an ACC Tournament quarterfinal on Sunday. They could end up anywhere between second and fourth in the final table, with avoiding a potential semi-final rematch against the Cavs in the ACC Tournament a pretty big carrot dangling in front of them, though there’s far more beyond that to play for. The Hokies are still in the mix for a top two seed and beating the perfect UVA side would be an enormous feather in their cap come Selection Monday. Oh, and there’s the simple matter above of trying to tip the balance of this derby back in their favor. The veterans on this side likely have not forgotten the beatings suffered at the hands of the Cavs and will be keen to repay the favor on Thursday night in this highly anticipated showdown.

(22) Minnesota vs (55) Illinois – 3:00 PM

The near-term future for Illinois is pretty clear if they want to go dancing this season. Win and win often down the stretch. With the win over Louisville at the beginning of the season really the only impactful win on their resume, the Illini need to log some Ws between now and Selection Monday if they want to make the field. They aren’t doing so great in the computer numbers, and you have to believe they may need more than one win to crack the bracket. Of course, a win over a side like Minnesota could certainly help their cause, such is the Gophers’ computer numbers right now. Illinois surely faced doom if they didn’t beat Michigan State last Sunday but held their nerve at home after two straight multiple goal losses, topping the Spartans by a 2-0 count. The offense didn’t exactly have its most efficient showing, but Jannelle Flaws was still able to set the program single season goal record with a luscious free kick in the eighty-fourth minute to ice it after Allie Osoba had given the club the go-ahead goal in the eightieth minute. The defense did a good job of keeping MSU’s offense quiet all day, while the offense at least finished when it counted. Vanessa DiBernardo made a Senior Day start before being lifted shortly after kick-off, which isn’t exactly the most promising sign going forward, with the senior still recovering from a sprained knee. As long as Flaws keeps scoring, Illinois has a shot at beating almost anyone though. Opponents Minnesota are hardly the most consistent side, but Illinois will have to put that in the back of their mind, as they need three points to guarantee a Big Ten Tournament spot. Anything less, and they might have to deal with the ignominy of not being in the event they’re hosting. Couple that with likely missing the NCAA Tournament in that case, and it’d make for a bitter end to the season for Janet Rayfield’s side.

Minnesota basically locked up their NCAA Tournament spot with two clutch away wins last weekend, downing Wisconsin and Purdue to bring a little consistency to their league campaign that had seen them not put together two same results since two defeats at the beginning of league play back in September. As has been the case for much of the year, Minnesota’s defense gave up a metaphorical ton of chances to the opposition. Thirteen shots on goal to be exact, but star goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs added to her rapidly growing reputation with twelve saves to keep her side on top. The offense didn’t necessarily light it up, but Simone Kolander served up a pair of crosses that Katie Thyken punched in to give the Gophers the two goals they’d need to seal the three points. Hobbs is going to have to be at her best again with the deadly Jannelle Flaws on the prowl for the Illini in this one. Minnesota has been living dangerously and coming out on top for much of the season, but there’s always the risk for a hammering as long as the club keeps giving up a litany of opportunities to the opponent. Minnesota’s offense has only scored multiple goals twice in the league as well, meaning they aren’t necessarily equipped to run and gun with opponents either. But with Hobbs’ tremendous performances in goal, you get the sense that anything could be possible for this Minnesota side. To a certain degree. That includes grabbing another three points on Thursday, with the home side keen to lock up their spot in the Big Ten Tournament to go along with a likely NCAA Tournament bid.

(37) Georgia vs (12) Florida – 6:30 PM

Their NCAA Tournament hopes successfully resurrected after two wins on the road, Georgia will try to make it all the way back by raining on Florida’s SEC title parade on Thursday night. Seemingly toast after a brutal stretch of one win in six that pushed them all the way off the bubble, Georgia probably needed six points from six during their final regular season road trip to get themselves back into contention. To their credit, the Bulldogs did just that, taking advantage of fading LSU and Arkansas sides to clinch their spot in the SEC Tournament and vault itself back onto the right side of the bubble. Against Arkansas on Sunday, they scored directly from a Madeline Barker corner kick and weathered a Lady Razorback storm, clearing a pair of balls off the line and holding firm to walk away with three priceless points. Realistically, Georgia’s not out of the woods yet though. While the Bulldogs are just barely removed from lifting themselves out of the bubble entirely, their fortunes are decidedly uncertain if they end up there come Selection Monday. They have exactly one quality result on their resume: the win over South Carolina at the beginning of league play. Is that enough to get them in? It depends on who’s on the bubble with them, but with the likes of Washington, Butler, and Oklahoma State all nipping at the heels of the bubble, the Bulldogs would be well served to cause a shock on Thursday night. The rivalry between Georgia and Florida has been decidedly one-sided, with the home side having beaten the Gators just once in the regular season (and once in the postseason), back in 2007. Needless to say, a positive result here would punch the Athens side’s NCAA Tournament ticket. Stopping the runaway train that Florida has been over the past month is much easier said than done, however.

That Florida side knows a win on Thursday will guarantee at least a share of the SEC title and guarantees them a #1 seed in the SEC Tournament. Since losing two straight earlier this league season, Florida has been unstoppable, winning six in a row and not conceding in that streak. The Gators were able to take their SEC title fate into their own hands last Sunday against Texas A&M, just two days after killing off the demons of the team’s failures in Knoxville historically, trouncing the Lady Vols, 3-0. Against the Aggies, the match lay precariously balanced for the first half, but the Gators began to exert their will in the second stanza, getting their just reward as Savannah Jordan continued her torrid pace with two goals in the span of eleven minutes to put the game beyond the College Station side. Jordan was nigh-unstoppable up front for the Gators, putting a whopping six shots on goal, or one more than Texas A&M had in ninety minutes combined. Jordan continues to make a case for herself as one of the nation’s top forwards, but it’s the defense that’s been impenetrable for the Gators during this winning streak. They’ve now kept six straight clean sheets and won five of those games by multiple goals, becoming the model of efficiency in the SEC. From sinking towards the bubble, Florida’s made a spectacular rise up the rankings and now finds itself making a late, hard charge for a top two seed. I don’t know how likely it is considering the club still hasn’t beaten anyone in the uRPI Top 20, but winning out would certainly give their claim for such a seed some major weight. Derbies aren’t predictable affairs though, and Florida would do well to not overlook their opponents, who have much to play for and see the Gators as a big scalp to claim.

(3) North Carolina vs (27) Duke – 7:00 PM

Never mind the chaos that a derby game on Halloween in Chapel Hill is likely to induce. Nor the fact that Duke is probably going to the ACC Tournament unless there’s a confluence of just the wrong results below them. This is North Carolina vs Duke, and the latter’s inability to beat the former is still a very annoying craw sticking in the Blue Devils’ side, especially the senior class, who helped transform the club into what it is today. Duke hasn’t beaten their rivals from up the road since 2005 and are a staggering 2-35-1 against the Tar Heels historically. 2013 would seem to be as good a time as any to break that losing streak. After looking like a dead team walking for the better part of September, Duke has righted the ship after a fateful 4-1 loss to Boston College, going 4-0-1 since. True, matches against sides like NC State and Pittsburgh have helped the bottom line, but this was a club that wasn’t in a position to quibble about where the wins were going to come from after that BC loss. The 6-3 win against Pittsburgh really flattered the defeated visitors, as the Blue Devils were up 6-0 after forty minutes and probably could’ve scored as many as they wanted if they so chose. Pittsburgh scored three goals in the final ten minutes, but there was no doubting Duke’s dominance on the day. In a sense, it’s going to be interesting to see if the Blue Devils can find that extra gear they used to beat Notre Dame in South Bend after two easier contests that followed. The return of Meghan Thomas in goal from injury has helped steady the defense to an extent, though Duke still has kept just two clean sheets in their last eleven. That defense is going to have to dig deep though, as the Blue Devil attack has been volatile in nature and consistency throughout. On the road and against a tough opponent, Duke’s best hope may be for a smash and grab victory rather than a protracted battle of firepower.

While North Carolina can rise as high as second in the final league table with a win and help elsewhere, the Heels don’t exactly have much to gain with a win, other than the joy of downing their rivals yet again. Except perhaps for the chance to avoid Virginia potentially until the ACC Tournament final, though again, much of that will depend on what Virginia Tech and Florida State do on Thursday night. A home quarterfinal in the ACC Tournament is already in the bag, with a #1 seed also likely already in their possession. UNC may be looking to keep momentum swinging their way after two straight wins though. Anson Dorrance’s side needed a response after the 2-0 defeat to Virginia a few weeks ago and got it last week with two wins on the trot over Clemson and Wake Forest. North Carolina would actually get a shock to the system against the Demon Deacons last Sunday, going down inside of the half-hour mark to a Riley Ridgik screamer, leaving the Heels behind 1-0 at the break. UNC would keep ratcheting up the pressure in the second half though, getting their reward early in the period when Crystal Dunn turned in Summer Green’s cross. Despite dominating the second half, UNC would have to wait until extra time for a winner, with Kealia Ohai making good to deliver the Heels three points. Dunn and Ohai scoring in a big win seems somewhat fitting for a club whose hopes of retaining the national title rest on the gifted shoulders of their two senior attacking talismans. It certainly isn’t worth discounting the assists from the inconsistent Summer Green and rookie Amber Munerlyn though. Or the defense that held Wake to three shots on the day. As long as the supporting cast is doing their part, UNC is going to be a challenge for anyone and everyone in the country. Dorrance will be hoping to turn Chapel Hill into a house of horrors for the visiting Blue Devils on Thursday night as the party takes root outside the gates of Fetzer Field.

(17) South Carolina vs (26) Kentucky – 7:00 PM
(6) Florida State vs (25) Notre Dame – 8:00 PM
(52) Washington vs (16) Stanford – 10:00 PM

Send to Facebook

Tweet This Post

Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

• Soccer
• Sports
• W. College Soccer

View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com

View jennaawk's Full Profile