NORFOLK, Va. — Highlighted by a career-high 24-point performance from Caterina Piatti and an outstanding all-around performance from Kymora Johnson, Virginia (5-0) defeated Old Dominion (3-2) by a score of 80-61 on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 15) at the Chartway Center.
Piatti’s career-high 24 points led the team as she went 9-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-7 from three-point range. Johnson (16 pts, 10 reb, 9 ast) finished one assist shy of a triple double while Mary-Anna Asare (19 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast), Eris Lester (10 pts, 8 reb) and Breona Hurd (10 pts, 2 reb) rounded out a quartet of Cavaliers in double figures.
How It Happened
Virginia started hot out of the opening gate scoring the first six points of the game on a perfect 3-for-3 from the field. Caterina Piatti led all players with 10 first-quarter points connecting on 4-for-5 attempts as the Cavaliers took a 19-16 lead into the first quarter break.
The Cavaliers built their lead by nine points midway through the second quarter, but an 11-3 ODU scoring run cut the UVA lead to just one [31-30] with three minutes remaining in the opening half. However, Virginia scored nine consecutive points to end the half and bring a 40-30 lead into the break. Piatti led all players with 12 points in the first half while Johnson and Asare each hit double figures with 10 apiece.
Old Dominion chipped away at the lead in the third eventually pulling within seven points [53-46] with two minutes to play in the frame. Virginia once again pulled away once more scoring 10 of the final 12 points in the quarter to take a 15-point lead into the fourth.
Piatti continued to build on her career performance scoring 12 second-half points while going a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in the final two periods. Johnson went for six points in the second half to go with seven rebounds, and six assists as the Cavaliers coasted to an 80-61 victory.
From Head Coach Aaron Roussell:
“I thought Kymora Johnson handled the game incredibly well. We got her a couple of early stretches to sit there and she’s just so valuable on the board. And she wasn’t the only one. I thought Cat was fantastic. She got those buckets early, established everything in the paint and then thought she was really good throughout from the perimeter, and just the way they had to guard her being able to knock down threes I think changes us and that was huge for us today.
With the Win:
- Virginia improves to 17-19 in the all-time series with Old Dominion
- Head coach Aaron Roussell is 1-1 against the Monarchs for his career
- Virginia starts a season with five consecutive wins for the first time since 2022-23
Game Notes
- Eris Lester made the first collegiate start of her career scoring 10 pts while recording eight rebounds
- Double-figure scorers: Piatti (24), Asare (19), Johnson (16), Hurd (10), Lester (10)
- Caterina Piatti logged a career-high 24 points on 9-for-15 FG and 4-for-7 3FG
- Kymora Johnson has scored in double figures in 28 straight games
- Johnson, Hurd and Asare have all scored in double-figures every game this season
- Piatti is the third different Cavalier to record a 20-point game this season
- Lester scored in double-figures for the sixth time in her career and second time as a Cavalier
- Johnson notched the sixth game of her career in double-figures on the boards
- Johnson recorded the 10th double-double of her career and first of the season
- Virginia held ODU to 33-percent (22-67) from the floor; the Cavaliers have held all five of their opponents in 2026-27 to under 40-percent from the field
- UVA outdrebounded ODU 42-41 and has outrebounded their opponents in each game this season
- Virginia blocked six shots on the day as Hurd, Piatti and Lester recorded two apiece
- UVA outscored ODU 40-22 in the paint
- The Cavaliers never trailed in the game
Up Next:
The Cavaliers will be back in action on Thursday (Nov. 19) when they host James Madison. Tipoff from John Paul Jones Arena is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network (ACCN).