In the first matchup of a pivotal West Coast road trip, No. 1 Virginia women’s soccer fell flat in frustrating fashion Thursday night at California.
The Cavaliers (10-0-2, 4-0-1 ACC) got off to a fast start, but the Golden Bears (6-2-7, 2-1-3 ACC) fought back with two late goals of their own to end Virginia’s six-game win streak and force them to a draw for only the second time this season.
Setting the tone early, senior forward Maggie Cagle opened the scoring in the 13th minute on a clinical combination play. Graduate midfielder Lia Godfrey brought the ball down the left side before cutting into the box even with the six-yard box and finding senior forward Meredith McDermott, who backheeled the ball to an unmarked Cagle who calmly tapped it past senior goalkeeper Teagan Wy to put Virginia ahead.
Just two minutes later, Godfrey doubled the Cavaliers’ advantage with an unassisted goal in the 15th minute. Picking up possession near midfield, Godfrey dribbled past defenders toward the top of the box before blasting a shot through the far-right corner of the net to give Virginia an early 2-0 lead.
The Cavaliers continued to dictate the tempo of the match throughout the early stages of the game, moving the ball fluidly and stringing together long spells of possession in the Golden Bears' defensive third.
Virginia maintained control through halftime and into the second half, generating consistent chances on net but ultimately failing to extend their lead as Wy made a series of impressive saves to keep California within striking distance.
Momentum shifted towards the Golden Bears in the 84th minute following a video review for a hand ball on a corner kick that was initially cleared by the Cavaliers,but later called back, awarding California a penalty.
Senior forward Lumi Kostmayer converted the chance for the Golden Bears and cut the Cavaliers’ lead in half late in the match.
Capitalizing on this second-half surge, California struck again in the 88th minute as junior forward Soleil Dimry took just two touches from midfield and launched a high-arching shot from 35 yards out past Virginia’s back line and the just beyond the reach of junior goalkeeper Victoria Safradin — providing the Golden Bears with the late equalizer.
The late-game collapse was uncharacteristic for a Virginia team that has been dominant and poised throughout the season, allowing just three goals prior to Thursday’s matchup. The Cavaliers, typically disciplined in closing out matches, caught a couple of unfortunate breaks and conceded late under sustained pressure from the Golden Bears — who just refused to quit.
“First, give credit to [California] for their fight and determination in the second half,” Coach Steve Swanson said. “I thought their team played very hard and their goalkeeper, specifically, made some really good saves.”
Wy made five saves in the second half alone on Thursday night. While Virginia outshot California 16-6, the Bears’ standout goalkeeping and late-game execution were enough to fuel a stunning comeback against the nation’s top-ranked team.
“Certainly it was a disappointing result, but to be fair we kind of got what we deserved as we did not do enough on both ends of the field to get the result,” Swanson said.
Despite the frustrating finish on Thursday in a game where Virginia appeared firmly in control, the Cavaliers remain unbeaten both overall and in ACC play, still controlling their own destiny in the race for a conference title and top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Virginia will look to regain its edge on both sides of the ball, with a focus on sharper finishing, as they look forward in an important stretch.
With two games left on this road trip, the Cavaliers will need to rebound quickly after escaping Berkeley with a draw.
“We need to refocus our energy, though, and get ready for Sunday," Swanson said. “It’s another game and another opportunity for our team.”
Virginia will now head south to Silicon Valley to take on No. 3 Stanford Sunday at 4 p.m. EST in a crucial ACC matchup with both teams vying for the top spot in the conference standings.
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