No. 2 Virginia Falls 2-1 At Miami
Sept. 22, 2016
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Zoe Morse (East Lansing, Mich.) got the Cavaliers on the board with her second goal of the season, but No. 2 Virginia (8-2-0, 1-1-0 ACC) couldn’t rally in a 2-1 loss at Miami (6-4-0, 1-1-0 ACC) on Thursday night.
The Hurricanes scored both goals in the first half and held on down the stretch, turning away a high-pressure Cavalier offense repeatedly as Virginia sought to equalize and force overtime.
Trailing 2-0 with the game winding down, Alexis Shaffer (Cary, N.C.) dribbled down the left side of the field and into the box, sending the ball ahead on a cross to Morse in the middle of the box. Morse collected the ball nine yards out and sent it into the net to put Virginia in the scoring column.
The Cavaliers had a chance to tie things in the final minute of play when Montana Sutton (Bedminster, N.J.) put a header on goal from five yards out, but it was secured by the Miami keeper to preserve the win for the home team.
“We did not have a good start to the game, which we must take responsibility for,” said Virginia head coach Steve Swanson. “I thought Miami out worked us and were sharper in that first 20 to 25 minutes. This is a very challenging place to play for a number of reasons.
“My hope is we take away what we need to and we continue to improve as a team. We fought hard in the second half and nearly had the equalizer, so we have the ability in us.”
Miami got on the board first, finding the net in the 21st minute on a goal from Gracie Lachowecki.
A foul in the box in the 42nd minute set up the second goal of the night for the Hurricanes. Kristina Fisher took the penalty kick and put it in past a diving Stearns to give the home team the 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers.
Virginia held a 7-to-3 advantage in shots at the half, but the Hurricanes got the two goals on those three shots.
The Cavaliers got on the board in the 86th minute when Shaffer found Morse in the middle of the box. Virginia out-shot the Hurricanes 7-to-3 again in the second half, but couldn’t find more than the one score despite putting seven shots on goal for the match.
Virginia will continue play on the road Sunday (Sept. 25), facing No. 3 Florida State at 1 p.m.