Cavalier Corner

August 2018

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AUGUST 2018 21 honor this season) and the first to be a four- time first-team All-American. She ranked third on Virginia's career list for points (195), third for assists (51) and fifth for goals (72). She also led Virginia to an ACC Tournament title in 2016 — some- thing her big sisters never accomplished. "Seeing Tara fulfill all of our dreams and the happiness on my parents' faces and on [coach] Michele Madison's face … I felt as much a part of that win as the active players that year," Michelle said. "I was really proud of Tara for being able to do something that I never could." "Michelle and I found out the team was going to the championship and decided we can't miss this. We drove seven hours to be at the game," Carissa added. "It was so cool to watch Tara and go on the field after to hold the trophy. "I felt like a part of the team and it was an amazing experience as an alumni." Tara was among the nation's leaders in nearly every offensive category this season, finishing the year second in points (64), tied for second in goals (25) and tied for eighth in assists (14) while helping to lead the Cavaliers to the ACC regular-season title and an NCAA Tournament berth. This summer, she will follow her hockey role model, sister Michelle, as part of the roster of the United States Senior Women's National Team. Vittese was named to the team in March by U.S. Women's National Team head coach Janneke Schopman. "I am honored and grateful to have been selected for the U.S. Women's National Team," Vittese said. "I am looking forward to growing both as an individual and as a player, alongside some of the best players in the country, and my sisters." The little sister — whose motto is "leave your heart on the field" — is ready for the next phase in her career on the international stage. "This is definitely exciting, but a little overwhelming," Tara said of her first major tournament experience. "It is going to be exciting to play in front of huge crowds. "I'm sure I'll be jittery and nervous, but I feel that once I get the first game out of the way I'll be fine." BEST OF THE REST Fourth-year field hockey standout Tara Vittese was named UVA's top female athlete at the Hoos Choice Awards May 2. Here are four more that excelled during 2017-18. Kasey Behr, lacrosse — The fourth-year midfielder finished her career on a high note. The Northport, N.Y., native racked up a single-season career-high 56 goals, while she scored multiple goals in 17 contests with hat tricks in 12 of those. She also served as the primary draw specialist and picked up 65 draw controls, which is the eighth most in a single season at UVA. Behr finished second on the team with 25 caused turnovers and added 35 ground balls en route to receiving first-team All-ACC lau- rels. In addition, the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Asso- ciation (IWLCA) named her a first- team All-American. The No. 7 pick in the Women's Professional Lacrosse League's inaugural collegiate draft fin- ished her career ranked seventh all time at UVA with 153 career goals and fourth all time in draw controls with 151. Allison Davis, softball — The fourth-year outfielder led the Cavaliers with a .365 batting average and belted a career- high 11 home runs. During one stretch, she homered in five con- secutive games, becoming the first Virginia player to ever ac- complish that feat. Davis also scored 43 runs and drove in another 40 to become the first UVA player since 2003 to eclipse 40 in each category. She was recognized as a second-team All-ACC performer and was named second-team all-region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. She finished her Virginia career ranked fourth in home runs (29), fourth in slugging (.563), fourth in runs scored (163), fifth in batting average (.330), and sixth in both hits (217) and runs batted in (111). Sammy Mueller, lacrosse — The second-year midfielder paced Virginia with 74 points on 59 goals and 15 assists, and finished second on the team with 81 draw controls. She also added 34 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers. She ranked fourth in the ACC with 2.95 goals per game, eighth with 3.70 points per game and eighth with 4.05 draws per game. Mueller scored multiple goals in a team-high 18 contests with 13 hat tricks en route to producing the ninth-most tallies in a single season in program history. She had four or more points in 11 games and scored a career-high seven points with six goals and one assist at Navy. Her efforts earned her first-team All-ACC honors and third-team All-America ac- colades from the IWLCA. Anna Redding, golf — The third-year helped the Cavaliers to a 22nd-place finish at the NCAA Championships, where she finished 57th overall. She was UVA's top placer in five tournaments and posted three top-10 outings during the season on her way to All-ACC accolades. Redding led Virginia with a 73.13 stroke average and concluded the campaign ranked No. 48 in the final Golfstat standings. She continued her success during the summer. In June, she captured her first Carolinas Golf Association title by carding a 5-under-par 211 at the 92nd Carolinas Women's Amateur Championship in Greenville, S.C. Her score was a record low since the CGA took over the event in 2013. In July, she advanced to the quarterfinals of match play at the North & South Women's Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, N.C. Fourth-year midfielder Kasey Behr tallied 12 hat tricks en route to a single-season career-high 56 goals and first-team All-America accolades. PHOTO COURTESY UVA "I am honored and grateful to have been selected for the U.S. Women's National Team. I am looking forward to grow- ing both as an individual and as a player, alongside some of the best players in the coun- try, and my sisters." TARA VITTESE

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