No. 1 Virginia women’s soccer took on Clemson at Historic Riggs Field Thursday night in its second consecutive away game. The Cavaliers (9-0-1, 3-0-0 ACC) handled the Tigers (3-3-5, 0-2-2 ACC) 3-0, extending their win streak to five. With the victory, Virginia earned its best record through 10 games since the 2019 season, where the Cavaliers similarly began 9-0-1 and were eventually awarded the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“This is never an easy place to play, and Clemson was well organized,” Coach Steve Swanson said. “So we are happy to come away with the result.”
Thanks to a first-half goal from graduate midfielder Lia Godfrey, Virginia entered halftime with a 1-0 lead, a lead that felt like it might as well be 5-0 with how the Cavaliers have defended and prevented shot attempts all season. Clemson, though, hung tight, putting rare pressure on junior goalkeeper Victoria Safradin and matching Virginia in shots on goal in the first half. The door appeared open for the Tigers to sneak in and steal a win from the Cavaliers. Coming out of the break, though, Virginia slammed the door shut.
Typically known for her goal-scoring, senior forward Maggie Cagle set up two goals right out of the gate with two beautiful passes. In the 45th minute, Cagle displayed her soft first touch, laying a ball right into the center of the box where only senior forward Meredith McDermott would be able to make a play on it. McDermott beat Clemson’s junior goalkeeper Nona Reason to the pass and was able to just tap the ball over the diving keeper to deliver Virginia’s second goal.
Cagle wasted no time in attacking again, this time showing off her power and accuracy in the 52nd minute, when she booted a ball to the top of the penalty box to hit junior forward Allie Ross in stride for a one-time strike into the back of the net.
“The first part of the second half was the difference, and we finished two good goals,” Swanson said. “Meredith and Allie took those chances really well.”
With their lead extended to 3-0, the Cavaliers cruised to the finish line, killing any hope of an upset bid for the Tigers. Virginia outshot Clemson 14-3 in the second half, displaying how dominant the Cavaliers were coming out of the break.
Safradin’s four saves earned her eighth shutout of the season, and Virginia’s goal differential increased to 20. In addition to Safradin’s continued high level of play, Godfrey similarly added another chapter to her terrific season, as her goal was her sixth of the season.
The Cavaliers set the tone on defense, leading to chances on the offensive end, a recipe that has led to success all season. Additionally, Virginia flexed its depth, showing that it has a roster built to play with high intensity for all 90 minutes.
The Cavaliers have over a week of rest before seeking to defend home turf in the Commonwealth Clash against Virginia Tech Oct. 4. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.
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