With about 10 seconds left to play in regulation, down 2-1 to Maryland, and with the ball in its defensive third, the Virginia women's soccer team found itself in dire straits. Having dropped two of their last three games in conference play, and preparing to head on a four-game road stint against some of the toughest competition in the nation, the Cavaliers needed something to get excited about.
"You have to understand our mentality prior to this game," Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. "We lost two out of three games where we were clearly the aggressive team, clearly the one who had more chances, and clearly if we had finished those chances we would have won those games ... We were a little bit fragile as a team."
Then the ball rolled to the feet of sophomore defender Maggie Kistner. Precious seconds ticked off the clock.
"It's just like, [your mindset is] get the ball. Get the ball toward the goal," senior forward Jess Rostedt said.
Kistner launched the ball upfield, where it was received by junior defender Kika Toulouse, who immediately touched it to freshman forward Caroline Miller standing in the center of the field about 30 yards from the net.
Miller pushed forward, but three Maryland defenders collapsed on her immediately. Stumbling, twisting and shoving, Miller scrappily pushed her way into the box amid intense pressure from the Terrapin backline. Just as she was about to lose control, Miller managed to pass the ball to Rostedt, who was streaking into the left side of the box.
"I saw her get the ball and I was like 'I'm just going to get into the box,'" Rostedt said. "If she does get a shot off and it deflects, I'm there, or if it jumbles around. She took a touch ... and it just came right to my feet."
Rostedt was immediately met by a Maryland player who forced her wide while she was simultaneously rushed by the goalie.
"I heard the guy on the loudspeaker say '3!' And I [knew] I could only take one more touch to get a better angle."
Rostedt took a touch.
"And then '2.' I wound up for the shot."
As the far post opened up, Rostedt fired and found the back of the net with 0:01 remaining.
The game-tying goal pushed the match into overtime, where the score remained even for two more 10 minute periods and a final of 2-2.
Virginia never had a lead in last night's game, but escaped without taking a loss. After the Terrapins scored the first goal in the 56th minute, The Cavaliers equalized just two minutes later when senior forward Caitlin Miskel received a cross in the box and found Miller who cranked one in from 10 yards away.
"There were times in the game when I felt we had a lot of the possession and we were the aggressor and there were times where I felt like Maryland had a lot of play and they were the aggressor," Swanson said. "I think the momentum went back and forth."
Maryland again took the lead with their second goal in the 79th minute.
"At 11 minutes we pulled one of our defenders," Swanson said. "We went to a 3-5-2. We were just pushing our wingers up high. We were supposed to have two center strikers and pump balls into the box. We did enough good things in the last eleven minutes to get a goal. Full credit to the team, I'm very proud of them and how hard they battled."
After suffering two upsets in the last three games that knocked them out of the top 25, the Cavaliers later this season may look back on their game against Maryland as a turning point.
"This was really a gut-check time for us," Swanson said. "Given the way the game went and given where we were at before that, its something we can build on, and that's the most important thing. We got a little flicker that we can light a fire with"
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