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No. 3 Women’s soccer exacts revenge, beats Hokies

In the third installment of this season’s Commonwealth Clash, the third-ranked Virginia women’s soccer team traveled down the road to Blacksburg for a matchup with archrival Virginia Tech.

The 14th-ranked Hokies (13-5, 4-5 ACC), the first team to beat the Cavaliers (16-1, 8-1 ACC) last season — 4-2 in the ACC Tournament — posed a difficult challenge for Virginia as the game took place at Virginia Tech’s Thompson Field, a notoriously difficult venue. But Virginia entered riding a 5-game winning streak and has been playing some of its best soccer of the season of late, as the team now ranks second in the nation with 3.44 goals per game.

The battle was relatively even throughout, with Virginia only outshooting the Hokies 13-9. But the Cavaliers jumped ahead early when sophomore defender Kristen McNabb knocked in her third goal of the season off a corner kick from senior midfielder Danielle Colaprico, whose assist tied the single season Virginia record at 14. McNabb’s goal was the 11th for the defense this season — another Cavalier record.

The two teams traded shots for the rest of the first half, but neither offense could get one past either of the two top-tier ACC goalkeepers. Early in the second half, however, Virginia’s impressive offensive front converted a quintessential Cavalier goal.

Off a cross from sophomore midfielder Alexis Shaffer, sophomore defender Meghan Cox headed a shot on net that hit the crossbar. Junior forward Makenzy Doniak, who has found herself in the right places at the right times quite frequently this season, volleyed in the rebound for her team-leading 12th goal of the season, doubling Virginia’s lead and silencing the 1,356 raucous fans in attendance.

While the offense was dominant, sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Stearns’ four saves — along with a strong backline play — anchored the Cavaliers’ eighth shutout of the season.

Sunday’s matchup was the last of Virginia’s three-game road trip. The team returns to Klöckner Stadium Nov. 1 to battle against ACC rival Pittsburgh.

—compiled by Jacob Hochberger

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