No. 2 Virginia Hosts No. 3 FSU In Thursday Night Showdown
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 2 Virginia women’s soccer team (10-1-1, 3-1-0 ACC) continues play at home on Thursday (Oct. 6) with another top-5 showdown as the Cavaliers face No. 3 Florida State (8-0-2, 4-0-0 ACC) in an 8 p.m. contest at Klöckner Stadium.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Thursday night’s contest against Florida State will be broadcast on ACC Network and a stream will be available through the ESPN app and at WatchESPN.com for customers who have the ACC Network as part of their television subscription. Live stats are also available and links to both the live stream and broadcast are available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVAWomenSoccer).
TICKETS AVAILABLE
Tickets are available for Thursday night’s game and fans can purchase single-game tickets in advance online at UVATix.com. Reserved seats purchased in advance are $12 and general admission tickets are $8. UVA athletics strongly encourages fans to avoid lines on game day and purchase their tickets online in advance. Single game tickets will be $15 at the gate on game day for reserved seats if available and $10 for general admission seats. Group packages for parties of 20 or more are $6 and are available for purchase over the phone in advance only.
QUICK KICKS
• Virginia remained No. 2 in the United Soccer Coaches rankings after picking up a 1-0 victory over No. 4 Duke over the weekend – the second for UVA over a top-5 team this season.
• The No. 2 ranking is the highest of the year for UVA and the Hoos are also ranked No. 3 in the RPI.
• Cayla White was named national Player of the Week by the United Soccer Coaches after the shutout at No. 4 Duke when she posted six saves to help give the Hoos the win.
• White leads the ACC in save percentage (.882) and goal against average (0.41), while she is second in the league in shutouts (6). She ranks in the top 16 nationally in all three categories.
• White and Lia Godfrey were both honored by the ACC as Co-Offensive Player of the Week and the Defensive Player of the Week following the win over the Blue Devils on Sunday.
• Haley Hopkins is among the NCAA leaders in game-winning goals (24th – 3), total goals (20th – 8) and points (25th – 18). She is second in the ACC in goals and points and ranks fifth in GWG.
• Maggie Cagle is tied for second nationally in game-winning assists and ranks 26th nationally in assists per game (0.50) and is fourth in the ACC. She is 18th nationally in total assists (6).
• Cagle is one of only four players to have at least five game-winning assists this season.
• As a team, the Cavaliers enter the week ranked in the top 20 nationally in goals (11th – 33), points (13th – 93) and assists (20th – 27) and rank in the top four in the ACC in all three categories.
• Virginia is also 14th nationally in scoring offense with 2.75 goals per game and is third in the ACC.
• Alexa Spaanstra continues to climb the UVA record books and is closing and has made 96 career starts which is second most at UVA. She’s closing in on matching 100 starts made by Laurel Ivory.
• Spaanstra ranks sixth in UVA history in assists (32) and her 32 goals is closing in on the top 10.
THE SERIES WITH FLORIDA STATE
• Virginia and Florida State have faced each other 39 times with the Hoos leading the series 21-10-8.
• The Seminoles have had the edge in tight contests lately with UVA going 2-4-4 in the last 10 meetings.
• The teams played twice last season with UVA taking the ACC regular-season title with a 1-1 draw in Tallahassee before FSU won 1-0 in the ACC Tournament semifinals
• Only two of the last 15 matches have been decided by more than a goal – a pair of two-goal victories by FSU in the 2018 season.
HOOS TACKLE ACC SLATE WITH CHALLENGING FRONT HALF
• UVA faced a challenging front half to ACC play that featured four-of-five games against nationally-ranked foes.
• The Hoos kicked things off at No. 2 UNC, picking up the 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Tar Heels
• Virginia then went on the road to face No. 18 Notre Dame – who had been ranked No. 6 the week prior when ACC play opened
• The Hoos then came home for Louisville before traveling to face No. 4 Duke and returning home for No. 3 FSU.
• All told, the Hoos will have played three matches against top-5 competition at the halfway mark in ACC play.