Virginia’s Season Ends With 2-1 Overtime Loss At No. 1 Seed UCLA
LOS ANGELES – The Cavaliers went to overtime for the second straight game, but this time the home team came out on top as No. 3 seed Virginia (16-4-3) fell at No. 1 seed UCLA (20-2-1) by a score of 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
The loss to the top-ranked Bruins ends the season for the 11th-ranked Cavaliers.
GOALS
15’ – UCLA: Sunshine Fontes (Lexi Wright)
75’ – UVA: Haley Hopkins (Lia Godfrey)
98’ – UCLA: Sophia Cook (Jackie Gilday)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia had the run of play early before the Bruins would strike on their first chance of the game in the 15th minute. Sunshine Fontes got into the box on a ball played ahead by Lexi Wright, splitting the defenders before putting a shot on frame that was tipped by keeper Cayla White, but the force of the shot carried the ball into the upper right corner for the score.
The Cavaliers drew even in the 75th minute off a header from Haley Hopkins. A stretch of continued pressure by the Hoos paid off with a corner kick. Lia Godfrey drove the ball in to Hopkins who headed the ball when fading away from her defender and put it in past the left post out of the reach of a diving keeper.
UCLA regained the lead in the first overtime period, scoring in the 98th minute with a strike from Sophia Cook. Jackie Gilday sent a ball in that was headed back toward the top of the box by a Virginia player, but fell to the feet of Cook who put it in past the left post for the lead.
NOTES ON THE GAME
• Virginia made its ninth appearance in an NCAA quarterfinal with the game against the Bruins.
• UCLA and UVA have met seven times in NCAA play with the Bruins leading 5-1-1 in those meetings.
• Haley Hopkins hit her team-leading 14th goal of the season with her second-half strike.
• Lia Godfrey tallied her fifth assist of the season and 26th of her career to tie for 10th all-time at UVA.
• It was the second consecutive overtime match for the Hoos after Virginia defeated No. 2 seed Penn State by a score of 3-2 last weekend in the Sweet 16 to advance to the matchup with UCLA.
FROM HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON
“It was a tough one to lose, obviously. We’re really proud of the team, the effort and the tremendous resiliency they’ve shown all season. It was tough to be down at the half, but we got ourselves back in the game. We put ourselves in a good position to win, we just didn’t make the plays down the stretch. We could have easily come out of here with a win and that’s part of why it hurts so bad.”