Saturday's game with the University of Pennsylvania offered Virginia one of its final chances to make a statement in the non-conference schedule. After a 2-1 win at the rain-soaked Turf Field, the Cavaliers resume looks much stronger. No. 20 Virginia now stands at 8-5 overall.
"I thought we played really well," Allie Flynn said. "It was a big out-of-conference game. Out-of-conference games are huge for us, especially trying to get into the tournament this year."
Flynn got the Virginia offense started with 12:31 left in the first half. After Erin Hayes stepped in front of a Quaker pass, the Texas native passed downfield to Flynn, who then distributed it to Sarah Miller deep in Penn territory. Miller set up Mia Link, who dribbled into the circle and drew the Cavaliers' second short corner of the contest.
On the ensuing short corner, Katie Phillips's shot was redirected into the cage by Flynn and the Cavaliers had drawn first blood. It was Flynn's fifth goal of the year, tying her for second on the team in goals scored. It was Phillips's fifth assist, giving her a team-leading 27 points on the year.
Just over four minutes later, Virginia extended its lead, but this time, Link would get a goal of her own. After receiving a pass from Phillips, Link beat her defender on the dribble and slid the ball into the cage for a 2-0 Cavaliers advantage.
The first half was not without stellar defense, though. Goalkeeper Katherine Blair came off her line on a Penn breakaway and made a crowd-pleasing sliding save which cleared the ball and sent the Penn player tumbling. Minutes later, when Penn earned the first short corner of the game, Blair and the defense thwarted the attack.
Though the Cavaliers stopped the first Penn short corner, the Quakers posted their lone goal of the game on a short corner in the second half. Virginia surrendered a total of six short corners.
"I thought we allowed more than I would have liked," Wilk said. "But, I thought the execution was better on the attacking end."
As the team looks ahead to No. 5 UNC on the 16th, preventing short corners and playing at a high-level for the duration of the game will be the keys to competing. Flynn was encouraged by the team's consistency throughout the game, and Wilk echoed her sentiments.
"I think that's an area where we're growing and we're getting better," Wilk said. "And today was a day where that was evident."
Virginia will have a week off to prepare for the Tar Heels and will work on a variety of things in anticipation of one of the toughest challenges of the season.
"We're going to work to be a little more disciplined defensively," Wilk said. "[We will] work on our finishing a bit, and then possession through the midfield."
Phillips left the game with 15 minutes left in the second half with a wrist injury and did not return. The injury was not serious and Phillips is not expected to miss any time. She is now 11th all-time on the Virginia career points list with 83.
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