No. 1 Virginia Downs Hokies In Commonwealth Clash Matchup

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Cavaliers got goals in each half as No. 1 Virginia (10-0-1, 4-0-0 ACC) defeated Virginia Tech (4-6-3, 0-4-1 ACC) by a score of 2-1 at Klöckner Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 4).

With the victory, the Cavaliers picked up a point in the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, a points-based competition that covers 22 sports between the two schools. Virginia currently leads the Commonwealth Clash 1.5 to 0.5 after the Saturday night win.

GOALS
14’ – UVA: Maggie Cagle (unassisted)
64’ – UVA: Lia Godfrey (unassisted)
73’ – VT: Natalie Mithcell (Madi Boutot)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia opened the scoring with a strike off the foot of Maggie Cagle. The senior forward received a throw in inside the attacking third near the right corner of the box. She turned and weaved through defenders along the top of the box before a sliver of an opening allowed her to take the shot as she approached the penalty arc. Cagle’s rocket slipped in between the keeper and the near post for the 1-0 lead.

The Hoos doubled the lead in the 64th minute with a play from Lia Godfrey that mirrored the strike from Cagle. Godfrey received a throw in on the left side of the field at the top of the attacking third. She turned on the attack and drove toward the box. Godfrey split a pair of defenders and then as she approached the penalty arc, the midfielder pulled up and fired a shot between two more defenders and slipped it in past the near post for the 2-0 lead.

Virginia Tech got a goal back in the 73rd minute when Madi Boutot played a long ball over the top to Natalie Mitchell on a run approaching the box. The forward  picked the ball up and took her shot as she approached the right corner of the six, sending the shot across the face of goal for the score.

NOTES ON THE GAME

• The crowd of 3,611 was the third largest for a game in program history that wasn’t part of a doubleheader.
• Lia Godfrey’s goal was her seventh of the season and her fourth game-winning goal this season.
• Maggie Cagle added her fifth goal of the season with the opening strike against the Hokies.
• With the win, the Cavaliers lead the all-time series with Virginia Tech 25-4-2 and 13-1-0 at Klöckner Stadium.
• Victoria Safradin picked up her 23rd career victory in goal which is one shy of the top 10 at Virginia.

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON
“We’re happy we got the win. They’re never an easy team to play and it’s always been a competitive game. They’re capable of scoring at any time. We didn’t handle their transition as well as I would like, and we left some goals where we were sitting on the doorstep that kept them in the game. It was a tremendous crowd, and we appreciate all the fans who came out to support us, that was a difference maker for us. We know we have to play better, and we have to hit the road for three games in a tough stretch.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia returns to the road in ACC play for a pair of games on the west coast next week. It starts with a Thursday night (Oct. matchup at Cal. Kick is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.