Five Cavaliers Named All-Region By United Soccer Coaches
2019 United Soccer Coaches All-Region
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Five members of the Virginia women’s soccer team earned All-Region honors from the United Soccer Coaches, the organization announced on Monday (Dec. 2) with the release of its annual teams.
Seniors Meghan McCool (Glenside, Pa.) and Courtney Petersen (Canton, Mich.) were named first team selections, while senior Zoe Morse (East Lansing, Mich.) and junior Taryn Torres (Frisco, Texas) were named second team selections. Junior Laurel Ivory (Surfside, Fla.) was a third team selection.
The teams are selected through voting by member coaches in their respective divisions. All-America Teams will be announced on Thursday evening (Dec. 5).
McCool tied for the team lead in goals with 15 this season, including six game-winning goals, as she tallied 33 points on her way to All-ACC first team honors. The senior hit the golden goal for Virginia in the program’s first win at No. 5 Florida State since the 2008 season. Four of her game-winning goals came against nationally-ranked opponents. With the College Cup remaining, she is tied with teammate Diana Ordonez (Prosper, Texas) as the ACC leader in goals scored and tied for the league lead in game-winning goals.
Petersen missed two weeks toward the end of the season due to injury, but tallied a goal and four assists on the season while helping anchor a back line that posted 13 shutouts. Two of her four assists came on game-winning goals, including victories at No. 5 Florida State and over Notre Dame. She scored in the regular-season finale against Boston College and earned All-ACC second team honors.
Morse joined Petersen in anchoring the Virginia back line, playing a team-leading 1,925 minutes for the Cavaliers on the way to the team’s 13 shutouts. She provided a goal and an assist, connecting with McCool for the first goal in the win over Boston College and adding her own goal against No. 5 Florida State in the semifinals of the ACC Championships. She was named an All-Tournament selection after helping the Cavaliers advance to the finals of the ACC Championships.
Torres earned All-ACC second team honors this season after playing 1,756 minutes – the second most on the team – and providing a goal and three assists for the Cavaliers. The engine that helped drive the team from the midfield, Torres scored in a win over William & Mary while adding assists against the Tribe, Minnesota and East Carolina.
Ivory missed the NCAA Tournament due to injury in the finals of the ACC Championships after helping direct one of the top defensive units in the nation. The junior goalkeeper tallied 12 solo shutouts on the season to lead the ACC and ranks fifth nationally in clean sheets. Her .304 goal against average is tops among the ACC for full-time keepers and ranks fourth nationally among all keepers. Ivory turned in a stretch of 775 minutes between goals this season as she posted seven consecutive shutouts in ACC play.
The Cavaliers finished the season with a 17-2-3 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 32nd time in program history with its 26th consecutive appearance this season. The 32 overall appearances are second-most all-time and the 26 consecutive appearances is the second longest active streak nationally. Virginia spent eight weeks at the top of the rankings throughout the course of the season.