McCool's Golden Goal Pushes No. 1 UVA Past No. 5 FSU

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For the fourth time in ACC play the Cavaliers went into double overtime, but this time senior forward Meghan McCool (Glenside, Pa.) made sure it wasn’t a draw as she delivered the golden goal to lift No. 1 Virginia (11-0-3, 3-0-3 ACC) to a 1-0 victory at No. 5 Florida State (11-3-0, 5-1-0 ACC) on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 13).

Following a failed attempt on a corner that was cleared out of bounds, the Cavaliers reset for a second consecutive corner. Senior defender Courtney Petersen (Canton, Mich.) sent the ball across the box to junior midfielder Anna Sumpter (Charlottesville, Va.). Sumpter delivered the one-touch volley back to the center of the six-yard box where McCool headed it in past the far post for the win.

It marks McCool’s ninth goal of the season, trying her season-total in goals scored from a year ago and her third game-winning goal this year.

Laurel Ivory (Surfside, Fla.) posted her ninth clean sheet of the season with four saves after facing 14 shots – tying a career-high in shots faced by the Cavalier keeper. With her fifth consecutive shutout, Ivory has not allowed a goal in 527 minutes. It is the fourth longest shutout streak by a keeper in program history.

“(It was a) great win and at a place that is really difficult to get a win,” said Virginia head coach Steve Swanson. “We have a great deal of respect for Florida State and know how strong of a team they are. It’s a credit to our players for gutting it out and finding a way to win on the road.”

The Cavaliers got a pair of solid chances in the ninth minute with the first run and ball into the box knocked back over the end line for a corner. The ensuing corner was cleared, but Virginia regained and got another chance as McCool’s shot was saved. It was the first of two McCool shots in the first half saved by Florida State keeper Caroline Jeffers.

Ivory kept things scoreless with a save in the 38th minute off the Seminoles first shot on goal. Coming down the right side of the field on a counter, Florida State played the ball across the top of the box and out wide to Nighswonger on the left side. Nighswonger took her shot, trying to slip it in the bottom corner past the near post, but Ivory scooped it up. 

At the half, both teams had three shots with the Cavaliers putting two on frame to only one on goal for the Seminoles.

The chances came in flurries for both sides in the second half as control of the match moved back and forth between the squads. Florida State got three shots in the first 15 minutes only to see Virginia respond with three shots across a span of three minutes – two of which were punched clear by the FSU keeper. 

At the end of regulation the Seminoles had a 10-to-9 edge in shots, but the Cavaliers held the 5-to-3 advantage in shots on frame.
 
Florida State would get three shots, all off the mark, in the first overtime period. Each team got one shot in the second overtime period with Virginia converting on its chance with the McCool header.

Virginia will return to action on Sunday (Oct. 20) to host Notre Dame at 2 p.m. in the first of three straight home games over the next two weeks.