Virginia Downs Xavier To Advance To Sweet 16
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Lia Godfrey delivered a pair of first-half goals vault the Cavaliers to an early lead as the third-seeded Virginia women’s soccer team (15-3-3) defeated Xavier (14-4-5) by a score of 3-1 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday (Nov. 18).
GOALS
6’ – UVA: Lia Godfrey (Emma Dawson)
20’ – UVA: Lia Godfrey (Haley Hopkins)
22’ – XU: Ella Rogers (unassisted)
72’ – UVA: Maggie Cagle (unassisted)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cavaliers got the early lead with back-to-back goals from Lia Godfrey in the first 20 minutes. Godfrey struck for the first time in the sixth minute as a clearance from the Musketeer keeper was received by Emma Dawson and sent forward to Godfrey in the box. Godfrey’s shot hit the left post and deflected in for the goal. Her second stike came in the 20th minute when she played a ball ahead to Hopkins in the box where Hopkins back-heeled it to Godfrey near the spot and the junior finished the chance for the 2-0 lead.
Xavier answered two minutes later with a free kick at the top of the box bent in past the left post to cut the lead in half.
Virginia pushed the lead back out to two goals in the 72nd minute off a goal from Maggie Cagle. Haley Hopkins played a beautiful ball ahead to Cagle down the right side, setting up a one-on-one chance for Cagle with the Xavier keeper who had come off her line. The sliding keeper slowed Cagle up, but she stayed with the play and took a second chance as the Musketeer defense set back up. Cagle put the ball on frame by the near post and it deflected in off the hands of the keeper for the score.
NOTES ON THE GAME
• Virginia is now 1-0 all-time against Xavier as it was the first meeting between the two teams.
• Virginia advances to the Round of 16 for the 17th time in the last 18 seasons with the win over Xavier.
• Lia Godfrey tallied the first multiple-goal game of her career with the first-half brace.
• Maggie Cagle’s second-half goal was the fourth of the season for the freshman.
• Claire Constant played her 100th career game for the Cavaliers with her start against the Musketeers.
FROM HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON
“We weren’t quite sure how we would get started today given what our Football Program, University, Athletic Department and community has been through; it’s been a tough week. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the young men who lost their lives and with our football program. One thing that has been the case since I’ve been at Virginia is that it is a very tight-knit family and this hurts everyone.
“I’m really proud of our team, not just because of the result, but because of the courage they displayed throughout these past few days. Once the game started and everyone settled in, I think we performed well. Xavier is a quality team what are a tough team to score goals against. I thought we started well and were pretty consistent on both sides of the ball throughout the game.
UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia will return to the pitch on Sunday (Nov. 20) when the Cavaliers face No. 2 seed Penn State (15-4-3) in the Sweet 16. Kick is set for 5 p.m. at Jeffrey Field.