No. 10 Virginia Rallies For 2-1 Win Over No. 21 Wake Forest
Oct. 29, 2017
Final Stats | ACC Championships Bracket
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The fourth-seeded Virginia (11-4-4) women’s soccer team used a pair of second-half goals to pick up victory on Sunday (Oct. 29) as the Cavaliers defeated fifth-seeded Wake Forest (11-5-3) by a score of 2-1 in ACC quarterfinal action at Klöckner Stadium.
Playing in a steady downpour throughout the course of the afternoon, the Cavaliers rallied after trailing by a goal at the half.
Virginia converted a penalty kick from freshman Taryn Torres (Frisco, Texas) and then got the game-winner from sophomore Meghan McCool (Glenside, Pa.) in the 74th minute to pick up the victory. It was the first goal of the season for McCool, while it was Torres’ team-leading seventh goal of the season.
With the win, the Cavaliers advance to the semifinals of the ACC Championships and will face the top-seeded Duke Blue Devils at 5:30 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 3) at the MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston, S.C.
Virginia is ranked No. 10 in the national rankings, while Wake Forest is ranked No. 21. Duke is currently ranked No. 2 in the national polls.
“We’ve been resilient all year and this was another challenge for us,” said Virginia head coach Steve Swanson. “Wake Forest is an excellent team and we knew this would be a difficult game. I’m proud of the way we responded to the challenges from the weather to being a goal down. The way we fought back gives us a little momentum going into the semifinals.”
“These games are all opportunities and we have another opportunity ahead of us on Friday. Our players responded well today and made the most of an opportunity. Hopefully all of the lessons you learn over the course of a season help you in the postseason.”
Wake Forest took the lead in the 13th minute when Bayley Feist headed one in off a cross from Monreau DeVos. A short corner from the Demon Deacons set up the play as DeVos took the inbound pass out near the top of the box and sent it into Feist four yards out. Feist headed the ball down and in past the keeper off the bounce for the 1-0 lead.
The Cavaliers found the equalizer in the 55th minute off the successful penalty kick by Torres. Veronica Latsko (Venetia, Pa.) got loose down the far side of the penalty box and was taken down by a Wake Forest defender inside the box as she cut in toward the goal, setting up the penalty kick opportunity for the home team. Torres lined up the shot and converted, tying the score at 1-1.
Virginia took the lead in the 74th minute when she notched her first goal of the season. McCool dribbled down the near side of the field on a breakaway chance but was turned away as a Deacon defender disposed her of the ball near the end line. The ball, which appeared to be rolling out of bounds on the sideline, hit a patch of water near the sideline and died. In pursuit, McCool collected the ball and turned back toward the middle of the field, dribbling to the toward the near corner of the box and fired her shot from 25 yards out for the score.
The Cavalier defense held things in check the rest of the way, thwarting the only chance for the Deacons as Laurel Ivory (Surfside, Fla.) made one of her two saves off a strike from Feist in the 83rd minute on the way to the win. Ivory is now 11-4-4 on the season in goal.