Third-Ranked Hoos Blank Pitt On Senior Day

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Lia Godfrey delivered a brace and Victoria Safradin saved a penalty kick chance as No. 3 Virginia (11-2-3, 5-2-2 ACC) shut out Pittsburgh (5-10-2, 1-8-0 ACC) by a score of 2-0 on Sunday (Oct. 26) at Klöckner Stadium.

GOALS
3’ – UVA: Lia Godfrey (Maggie Cagle)
19’ – UVA: Lia Godfrey (unassisted)

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hoos struck quickly with a goal in the third minute of play. Kiki Maki played a ball out wide to Maggie Cagle streaking down the right side to trigger the attack. Cagle cut in along the endline, dancing past a defender before her service into the six found Godfrey for a header.

Virginia doubled the lead in the 19th minute off a corner from Godfrey. The midfielder drove a hard and low corner that deflected off a defender at the near post for the 2-0 lead.

A foul in the box gave Pitt a chance to get on the board late in the half as the Panthers lined up for a penalty kick in the 89th minute. Pitt’s Katie Ellermeyer lined up for the shot and sent it low and to the right post, but Victoria Safradin was up the task as the Virginia keeper made the diving save to preserve the shutout.

NOTES ON THE GAME

• Lia Godfrey’s brace was her first since the Hoos defeated Xavier in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament (11/18/22).
• Godfrey’s goal was her fifth game winner of the season and 11th of her career.
• Victoria Safradin’s save of the penalty kick was the first by a Virginia keeper in a game (not including shootouts) since Chantel Jones saved a penalty kick by Christine Nairn at Penn State (8/27/10).
• The shutout was the eighth of clean sheet of the season for Safradin and 10th shutout for the Hoos.
• Maggie Cagle’s assist was the 28th of her career to tie her for 10th in a career at Virginia.
• Cagle now has 12 assists on game winning goals in her career and it was her fourth assist of the season.
• As a duo, Cagle and Godfrey have now combined for 53 goals and 61 assists in their careers with the Hoos.

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON
“It was great to honor the seniors today. It’s always a bittersweet time because you’re getting ready to play a game, which you’re excited about, but on the other side of it there are emotions about a class that will leave us in a little bit. We were happy we got the win. We had a good first half, but dropped off a little bit in the second half. Credit to Pitt, they stayed organized and worked hard. On the run we’ve had, it was nice to get back, get a win and stabilize ourselves a bit as we prepare for our last home game.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia closes out the regular season at home on Thursday (Oct. 30) when the Cavaliers host Boston College. Kick is set for 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.