Hoos Blank Penn State To Advance To NCAA Round of 16

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the second time this season a Maggie Cagle goal was decisive against the Nittany Lions as No. 1 seed Virginia (14-3-4) defeated No. 8 seed Penn state (10-8-1) by a score of 2-0 at Klöckner Stadium

With the win, the Cavaliers advance to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament and will face Washington at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 23) at Klöckner Stadium. Tickets are on sale at UVATix.com.

GOALS
33’ – UVA: Maggie Cagle (Jill Flammia)
68’ – UVA: Lia Godfrey (Tatum Galvin, Ella Carter)

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cavaliers struck in the 33rd minute off the foot of Maggie Cagle. Lia Godfrey dribbled into the box and lay a ball off to Jill Flammia for a shot on her right. The shot from Flammia was saved by the keeper, but deflected back out to Cagle who sent it back up and in over the keeper.

Virginia doubled the lead in the 68th minute with a strike from Lia Godfrey. The Hoos played a short corner to Cagle at the edge of the 18. She sent it back out to Ella Carter who served it to the six where Tatum Galvin headed it back to Lia Godfrey. Godfrey fired the shot back across the face of goal and into the side netting past the right post for the 2-0 lead and final margin of victory.

NOTES ON THE GAME

• Maggie Cagle hit her 11th goal of the season and third game-winning goal of the season.
• Cagle has hit the game winner in three straight wins over Penn State (twice this season and once in 2024) while assisting on the game-winning goal in the 2022 NCAA Tournament win over Penn State.
• Virginia defeated Penn State 1-0 on a Maggie Cagle goal earlier this season (9/4/25) at Klöckner Stadium.
• Virginia improved to 11-8-1 all-time against Penn State and 4-1 in NCAA Tournament games against PSU.
• Lia Godfrey scored her 11th goal of the season to give the Hoos the insurance against the Nittany Lions.
• It’s the first time since the 2020 season that Virginia has had two double-digit goal scorers in a season.
• Victoria Safradin posted her 26th career victory which is ninth most by a keeper in UVA history and her 19th career shutout which ranks fifth all-time at Virginia.

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON
“We knew it would be a tough game. Penn State has an excellent team and we knew it would be like playing a game in a much later round of the tournament. We did a good job. We created a lot of chances and scored two good goals. At times we controlled the game, though I think the second half got away from us a little bit at times. To get a win against a team as good as Penn State, and shutout especially, was good. Hopefully we can keep this ball rolling as we get ready for Washington this weekend.”