A tough season comes to a close

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Keep winning. Stay together as long as possible. Continue the healing process.

That’s been the basic three-step plan for the Virginia women’s lacrosse team ever since the tragedy of May 3 that saw men’s lacrosse player George Huguely charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of women’s player Yeardley Love.

Unfortunately, team members will now have to find a way to do their healing outside of the UVa lacrosse community.

On a rainy Saturday afternoon at Fetzer Field, Virginia’s season came to an abrupt end.

In the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, third-seeded North Carolina — behind four goals from Lauren Zimmerman — defeated the visiting Cavaliers, 17-7, in front of a crowd of 676.

UNC (17-2) advanced to face Northwestern in the Final Four in Towson, Md. next weekend.

UVa players, who buried Love just two weeks ago, will now disperse for the summer.

“I think every day we’ve been together has been a positive day,” said Virginia coach Julie Myers. “I think it’s taken a lot of energy for us to just go through the steps of a normal day, but I think our team has gotten stronger and more connected.

“At the end of the game, one our fifth-year seniors said that there isn’t a question in anybody’s mind that we all love each other. To know that is a pretty special and amazing feeling. I think we’ve definitely established unconditional love for each other.”

Love’s mother and sister, who attended last weekend’s win over Towson, were not on hand Saturday, but sent an e-mail to the team that said, “One, two, three, four Go Hoos!”

However, it was obvious from the get-go that a depleted Virginia team didn’t have very much left in the tank. The Tar Heels stormed out of the gates, scoring nine of the game’s first 10 goals.

Time and again, UNC was able to penetrate Virginia’s defense and get quality shots. Sixth-seeded UVa, meanwhile, was stymied by Tar Heels goalie Logan Ripley, a former Albemarle High standout who finished with seven saves.

Virginia’s lack of depth — the team was missing three players who sustained season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injuries — finally seemed to take its toll.

Leading 9-2, UNC tacked on two goals in the final seven seconds of the half to take a commanding 11-2 lead into the break. The final tally by Kristen Taylor came just as the halftime horn sounded.

“We played a little bit flat. We played a little scared. We got behind and dug a ditch,” said Myers, whose team had defeated UNC in Charlottesville during the regular season. “We had moments of feistiness and some fight, but clearly it wasn’t enough as the game went on.”

Before the game, there was a moment of silence for Love. Virginia players once again wore black patches on their jerseys with the word “Love,” while UNC players wore orange wristbands.

“We have tremendous empathy and support for the program, especially as an alum,” said teary-eyed UNC coach Jenny Levy, a former teammate of Myers at Virginia. “I’m just very impressed with the courage their team showed today.

“I just think that they have nothing to hang their head for. At the same time, I’m happy that my team came out and played to win today.”

Six Virginia seniors will take part in graduation ceremonies in Charlottesville today, where Love will receive a posthumous degree. Most team members plan on sticking around town for a few days.

After that, they’ll head home. There, Myers said, players’ parents will play an important role in the healing process, though she would be just a phone call away.

Clearly, the healing won’t be happening overnight.

“I don’t think that there’s any way you can really move on from this,” said Virginia senior Brittany Kalkstein. “Obviously, it’s going to be in our thoughts forever...

“But it was definitely a huge learning experience these past few weeks. I think it taught us about life...”

Added senior Caity Whiteley: “Through everything, we stuck together. It really just shows how much more there is to the game of lacrosse than winning.”

After the game, Virginia players jogged to the stands and saluted the fans who had made the trip down from Charlottesville. The fans, in turn, gave them a standing ovation. Then Myers huddled with the team for a final time.

“My message was basically that I love them and that I’m proud of them,” she said, “and we couldn’t have asked them to do any more. Not on the field or off.”