Virginia women’s soccer picked up a much needed win against Clemson in a game that came down to the wire Friday night. The No. 24 Cavaliers (11-6-0, 4-5 ACC) were coming off a 4-0 defeat to Florida State that eliminated them from ACC postseason contention, but in their final game of the regular season at Klöckner Stadium, they got back on track with a 1-0 win over the Tigers (6-8-2, 2-7-0 ACC).
Virginia appeared to be energized by the home crowd right out of the gate, flying around the field on both sides of the pitch.
“We had a huge crowd out here tonight,” senior midfielder Lia Godfrey said. “They were super supportive, super loud, and I'm thankful that we're able to have such great fans to support us.”
Junior defender Tatum Galvin and freshman forward Sophia Bradley each had good chances to score in the opening 20 minutes but were unable to put the ball in the back of the net.
In the 17th minute, sophomore midfielder Yuna McCormack made an errant pass, resulting in a turnover and leading to transition offense for the Tigers. But McCormack turned on the jets to hawk down the Clemson attack and win the ball back, exemplifying the Cavaliers’ high intensity in the first frame.
“I thought we had a good week of practice with defending, our shape, competing and winning 50-50 balls,” Coach Steve Swanson said. “It speaks to the preparation we had and the work they put in this past week.”
Action stalled for the back half of the first 45 minutes, as Virginia and Clemson entered the break with one shot on goal each. The Cavaliers dominated the possession, as the ball spent the majority of its time in the Tigers’ defensive third.
Coming out of the break, Virginia had two great chances inside the box in the 49th minute. Junior forward Maya Carter played a give-and-go with Bradley on the right side of the box, splitting the Clemson defense. Carter, however, was unable to corral the ball and fire a clean shot. The ball ricocheted out to the right corner where Bradley picked it up and sent a cross to junior forward Maggie Cagle, whose one-time shot attempt from 15 yards out did not come true.
In the meantime, Virginia kept up the intensity on the defensive end. Sophomore goalkeeper Victoria Safradin had a nice sequence in the 67th minute when she disrupted a shot in the box from sophomore midfielder Emily Brough and then snatched the ensuing corner kick out of the air before the Tigers could get a head on it.
Shortly after Safradin’s defensive intervention, Virginia finally broke through in the 72nd minute. A corner kick from freshman midfielder Annamarie Williams found sophomore midfielder Ella Carter eight yards out from the net, who booted a strike past Holgorsen and sent the packed Klöckner crowds into a frenzy.
The Cavalier faithful, who had been waiting to explode all night, erupted in a cry of boos moments later when the officiating crew disallowed the goal after taking a second look at the video review monitor. The officials ruled that senior forward Laughlin Ryan obstructed the view of Holgorsen on the play, and consequently erased what Virginia fans believed to be the go-ahead goal.
With the clock winding down, the Cavaliers pushed into the attacking third a final time. While driving in the box, McCormack dished the ball back out to Godfrey. The senior launched a strike into the top left corner of the net, past the outstretched Holgorsen. This time, Virginia would not be denied their goal, taking a 1-0 lead in the 86th minute and holding the lead for good.
“Ball just popped out to top the box, and I knew I had to strike it well,” Godfrey said. “I hit it with my left foot pretty much as hard as I could, hoping it would go.”
The win means effectively nothing for the Cavaliers in regards to the ACC, but it does help their chances at qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Friday’s victory likely solidified their spot in the field, and a road win Thursday against No. 19 Virginia Tech would give Virginia a good chance at a high seed.
“I think most of our players know what’s at stake,” Swanson said. “The key is, can we play our best soccer of the season at the end of the season?”
The Commonwealth Clash represents the Cavaliers’ final game of the regular season. The match kicks off at 8 p.m. and will be streamed on ACCN.
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