No. 4 Virginia Hosts Richmond In Season Opener Thursday
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 4 Virginia women’s soccer team (0-0) opens the 2021 season on Thursday (Aug. 19) when the Cavaliers host Richmond (0-0) in a 7 p.m. match at Klöckner Stadium.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
The match between Virginia and Richmond will be streamed on ACCNX which is available through ESPN.com and the ESPN app to customers who have the ACC Network as part of their television package. Live stats will also be available. Links to the broadcast and live stats are available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAWomenSoccer).
TICKETS AVAILABLE
Fans can purchase single-game tickets in advance online at UVATix.com for $5. UVA athletics strongly encourages fans to avoid lines on game day and purchase their tickets online in advance, there are no fees when buying online. Single game tickets will be $10 at the window on game day. Group packages for parties of 20 or more are just $4 per ticket and are available online or over the phone in advance only.
General admission season tickets are also on sale for $25.
QUICK KICKS
• The Cavaliers kick off the 2021 season ranked No. 4 nationally in the preseason poll released by the United Soccer Coaches and are one of five ACC teams ranked in the top 10.
• Sophomore midfielder Lia Godfrey and senior forward Alexa Spaanstra garnered preseason All-ACC honors in a vote of the league’s coaches
• Virginia was picked to finish third in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the predicted order of finish as also voted on by the league’s coaches.
• The Cavaliers continue to play a challenging schedule, facing six teams ranked in the preseason top 12 by the United Soccer Coaches and all three other semifinalists from the 2020 College Cup. All three games against last year’s NCAA semifinalists come on the road or at a neutral site.
• UVA returns almost all of its offensive production from last season with 95 percent of its goal production returning (38-of-40 goals) and 31-of-34 assists from last season.
• The Cavaliers enter the season riding a shutout streak after closing last season with four consecutive clean sheets and hold a streak of 459:35 dating back to the NCAA Tournament opener.
• Virginia is coming off its third College Cup appearance in the last eight seasons after advancing to the national semifinal a year ago. UVA also advanced to the College Cup in 2013 and 2014.
THE SERIES WITH RICHMOND
Virginia and Richmond will face off for the 14th time when the teams hit the pitch on Thursday night. The Cavaliers lead the all-time series with the Spiders 11-1-1 and are 8-1-1 all-time in games played at Klöckner Stadium. The last meeting between the teams came in the 2017 season when Virginia claimed a 1-0 victory off a goal from defender Brianna Westrup.
A LOOK AT THE SPIDERS
Richmond is coming off a 2020-21 season that saw the the Spiders go 1-6-1 in an abbreviated season. Richmond returns 10 starters from last year’s squad, including fifth-year midfielder TJ Anderson and senior forward Molly Morgan. The duo have combined for more than 80 starts, 10 goals and five assists.
UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia will hit the road for action on Sunday, traveling to face No. 12 West Virginia in a 2 p.m. contest at Dick Dlesk Stadium. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.