(Note: What’s below comes out of Virginia’s game Friday against Penn State. From the play-by-play of Sunday’s game against Connecticut, it appears Stith came out in the 95th minute and didn’t return, either during the remainder of the first overtime period or for the start of the second overtime period. Hopefully that isn’t indicative of an injury of any significant nature. I’ll update as information becomes available.)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Morgan Stith’s greatest moments come just before the highlights that never happen. And she’s becoming one heck of a killjoy.

Early in Friday’s game between No. 12 Penn State and No. 15 Virginia, Nittany Lions freshman Hayley Brock, ball in tow, raced past a Virginia defender and into open space near the end line. With most of the Cavaliers still trailing the sudden foray, Brock delivered a pass to teammate Danielle Toney on the edge of the 6-yard box.

At which point nothing much happened.

But nothing much happened in large part because of Stith. The sophomore defender not only kept pace with Toney, one of the nation’s fastest players, as she made her run into the box, but then stood her up, sans support, with Toney’s back to goal. By the time Toney moved away from goal and found any room, Stith’s compatriots had regrouped and blocked the ensuing shot.

It might have been almost as important a moment in the eventual 1-1 draw as Virginia’s Lauren Alwine scoring the tying goal with just over three minutes to play or Cavaliers keeper Chantel Jones saving a penalty kick, but it earned barely even a disappointed collective sigh from the large crowd at Penn State’s Jeffrey Field.

Savoring just that reaction requires a rather particular personality.

“At the times when you really need defense, those are what I live for,” Stith said. “I really, really like that a lot.”

Continue reading “Morgan Stith an emerging star for Virginia” →