COLUMBUS, Ohio - No. 16 Rutgers field hockey battled to the wire against No. 3 Virginia in the Big Ten / ACC Challenge on Sunday morning. Ultimately, a late fourth quarter goal gave the Cavaliers a 1-0 win over the Scarlet Knights. RU fell to 2-2 on the season overall after falling to No. 11 Syracuse, 2-0, on Friday.
 
Virginia led 7-2 on shots and 7-1 in corners. Emily Nicholls made four saves for RU.
 
Rutgers had a great chance 12 minutes into the contest. After defending an early corner, a long breakout pass sent Olivia Fraticielli on a breakaway and a 1-on-1 chance with the goalkeeper. Her shot was turned aside, and the game remained scoreless after one frame.
 
That turned out to be the lone shot for either side in the opening half, with the score at intermission still 0-0.
 
Early in the third quarter, UVA had their first chance off the penalty corner, but goalkeeper Emily Nicholls went low for the kick save. Heading to the four quarter, it remained scoreless, with UVA leading in shots 2-1 and corners 3-0.
 
The Cavaliers turned up the pressure in the fourth frame. Finally, the Cavaliers broke through, capitalized on a penalty corner with a creative look, with a series of passes finding the inserted back at the far post, who put it home for the goal.
 
The goal came with just under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. RU would be unable to come up with an equalizer, falling 1-0.
 
Up Next
 
Rutgers is in the midst of a stretch against four ranked teams. Next Friday, RU is at No. 11 UConn, then hosts No. 10 Princeton on Sunday.