On Halloween eve, in her final game at Klöckner Stadium, senior forward Darci Borski gave the Virginia women's soccer team (10-5-2, 3-3 ACC) a treat to remember.
On a frigid evening, after more than 89 minutes of scoreless action against ACC rival N.C. State (9-7-1, 2-4-1), the Cavaliers began their final run at the Wolfpack.
With the seconds winding down, Borski received a ball near the left goalpost from freshman midfielder Julie Napolitano, then broke out in a fast break on the left side, cut it back in front of Wolfpack goalkeeper Gretchen Lear and sank it into the net with a mere three seconds remaining in the contest. Time expired as Wolfpack players fell to the field in disbelief and the Virginia stands erupted in shouts.
"It was the perfect ending for her career at Klöckner," senior defender and team captain Kelly Worden said. "With the clock winding down, she scores her last shot in Charlottesville -- it was amazing."
The goal by Borski, who received the ACC Player of the Week nod after three goals in victories over Duke and No. 14 Wake Forest, extends the Cavaliers' winning streak in the conference to three.
Virginia created more offensive opportunities than the Wolfpack over the course of the game, but failed to capitalize until the end. Within the first several minutes of the first half, the Cavaliers began to dominate play and kept the majority of play in Wolfpack territory. At halftime, Virginia had posted eight shots by seven players to N.C. State's two, but the game remained scoreless.
"We were pretty frustrated at halftime," Borski said. "We felt like we were dominating and we couldn't score."
The second half began much the same as the first ended, with momentum on Virginia's side. Maintaining ball possession, the Cavaliers continued their assault on the Wolfpack goal, tallying 15 shots before the end of the half. But as in the first half, Virginia could not turn shots into goals.
"We hit the crossbar more than ever tonight," Worden said. "It shows that we were right there but we just couldn't get it in. It was incredibly frustrating."
In what appeared to be a game destined for overtime, the Wolfpack surprisingly but justifiably received their due. Virginia women's soccer coach Steve Swanson gave the visitors credit for disrupting the Cavalier offense but believed that the game's outcome reflected the performances.
"No one could say we didn't deserve to win this game," Swanson said. "It was a difficult one for [N.C. State] to lose, but at the end of the day, I think it would have more unjust if we had not won. We deserved to win tonight. That we won in that fashion was
interesting."
A team once ranked as high as sixth nationally, Virginia suffered mid-season losses to the likes of Clemson and Maryland and plummeted out of national standings.
After a disappointing 2-1 loss at North Carolina, the Cavaliers enjoyed success against Duke and continued their success at Wake Forest on Saturday, beating the ranked Demon Deacons 2-0. In order to continue to regroup and gain momentum for post-season competition, last night's game, according to Worden, was essential.
"Tonight's game gives us confidence," Worden said. "All these last games have been stressed as must-wins. Now, we're right there. I think we all want it; we're all coming together; we all know how we play together now. We can read each other better. It's coming."
Swanson noted last night's win as an indication of Virginia's recent improvement.
"Earlier in the year, we would have come away from this game with a loss," Swanson said.
Virginia takes its three-game winning streak on the road this Saturday to Florida State, where it completes its regular season before the ACC Tournament.
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