The second-ranked Virginia women’s soccer team hosted Tennesee, Hosftra, Duke and Richmond in the 27th Virginia Nike Soccer Classic this weekend, looking to build on its strong early-season play and extend its program-record 21-game home winning streak.
The Cavaliers (7-0) triumphed 3-1 against Tennessee (4-3) Friday night and followed up with a confident 3-1 win against Hofstra (4-3) Sunday. Though the two games ended with the same final score, Virginia took distinct paths to victory in each.
The first half Friday night was somewhat puzzling for Cavalier fans. Though on the field Virginia looked true to form, the scoreboard told a different story. Leading 11-3 in shots and 4-2 on corners, the Cavaliers found themselves down 1-0 going into the break.
“I think that Tennessee’s a great team that came out and put in a great effort,” senior midfielder Danielle Colaprico said. “I think that it’s great that we got to play them before the ACC season starts because the games are going to get tougher and I think … we need to come out stronger.”
The Lady Vols’ go-ahead goal came in the ninth minute off a beautiful free kick service from redshirt sophomore defender Kiah Allen to senior forward Hannah Wilkinson, who charged in front of Virginia sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Stearns and headed the ball in for her fourth goal of the season. Wilkinson’s tally was only the second goal conceded by the Cavaliers this year and also marked the first time Virginia trailed in a game all season.
“[Wilkinson] is a New Zealand international,” coach Steve Swanson said. “She’s a great athlete and she’s very good in the air, and we knew that. It was a good service so you’ve got to give her credit for finishing it.”
Just seven minutes later, after a handball in the box, Virginia was awarded a penalty kick. Colaprico marched to the stripe to attempt to tie the game. Unfortunately for Virginia, her shot just missed outside of the left post, inciting a collective groan from the season-high 2,490 fans at Klöckner Stadium.
“I think it was definitely disappointing to see that go a little bit wide so, I mean, it was just motivation,” Colaprico said. “[Coach Swanson] talked to me right after and said, ‘Just play your game and realize that … there’s a lot of game left to come behind from a 1-0 deficit.’”
The Cavaliers continued to press, working play up the sides, booming crosses and shots, and putting Volunteer junior goalkeeper Jamie Simmons under duress.
Virginia’s efforts were rewarded in the 50th minute when junior forward Brittany Ratcliffe settled the ball off a cross, turned away from the goal and found charging sophomore defender Kristen McNabb, who fired a blistering left-footed shot across the box and past Simmons to tie the physical, hotly-contested match and tally her first collegiate goal.
“That was so exciting,” McNabb said. “It was a great momentum shift for us and that really helped us in the second half because we knew we could get back we just had to get that first one. It was a bit of a surprise, but I’ll take it.”
McNabb’s milestone strike generated palpable momentum in Klöckner Stadium.
“The crowd was great tonight,” Swanson said. “We really appreciate it.”
In the 57th minute, it all came together for Virginia. Off a pass from sophomore midfielder Alexis Shaffer, Colaprico settled the ball outside the box, made a move to her left and blasted in her second goal of the season, putting the Cavaliers ahead to stay.
“In the second half I tried to look for my shot a little more and saw an opportunity and shot the ball,” Colaprico said. “I definitely saw the far post was open, so I thought, ‘Why not. I’m shooting.’”
On Sunday, the Cavaliers took on Hofstra to conclude the Classic, picking up right where they left off Friday by thoroughly controlling play all over the field despite another healthy dose of intense physicality from the opposition.
“I think they’ve got a lot of competitive players and I think they work very hard collectively and work hard individually,” Swanson said. “They weren’t going to give up, they weren’t quitting. They hustled the whole game and you have to give them credit for that.”
In the 10th minute, off a corner kick service, freshman defender Megan Reid played a ball over a crowd of players in the box to sophomore midfielder Meghan Cox, who settled the ball inside the six-yard box and finished against sophomore goalie Friederike Mehring to put Virginia ahead 1-0.
The second half featured some fireworks as both teams increased their intensity and aggressiveness on the field. The Pride’s efforts came to fruition in the 53rd minute, when two of Hofstra’s eight international players combined for a beautiful cross and shot to tie the score at one.
Just four minutes later, Hofstra’s aggressive play came back to bite them, as a rash tackle from junior forward Leah Galton in the box set up the Cavaliers’ second penalty kick of the weekend. Junior forward Makenzy Doniak calmly finished her chance in the left corner of the net even though Mehring guessed right, putting Virginia ahead 2-1.
“I think the biggest thing when taking PKs is having confidence in your shot,” Doniak said. “You just have to place it, and luckily I did that. I wish I had hit it a little harder, but it hit the side net, and accuracy in your shot is the important thing.”
Just when it seemed the Cavaliers were finished scoring for the weekend, junior forward Kaili Torres found Colaprico, who calmly slotted the ball from the six-yard line for her third goal of the season, doubling Virginia’s lead.
“[Coach Swanson] told us that we didn’t need to force our shots and we were forcing things in the box, and he told us to relax,” Colaprico said. “Kaili’s one v. one attacking on the sideline showed that in the end.”
The Cavaliers played both weekend matchups without star senior midfielder Morgan Brian, the reigning Hermann Trophy winner. Though the Cavaliers are an undeniably strong and deep team, her absence was one that was certainly challenging to overcome.
“We’re obviously missing her and that’s really different for us so I think that everyone on the field has to step it up a little bit more when she’s gone,” Colaprico said. “I think that we’re a great team when she’s gone and we’re a great team when she’s here.”
Virginia has a quick turnaround as the team hosts Old Dominion Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium in the first matchup between the in-state rivals since 1997.
