No. 7 Virginia women’s soccer closed the regular season in style Thursday night with a 2–0 victory over Boston College, delivering Coach Steve Swanson his 500th career victory and securing a place in the ACC Women's Soccer Championship.
“I never got into coaching for the recognition — I love teaching, sport and the relationships I’ve had over the years,” Swanson said. “This is not about me, rather my family and all of the players I have been fortunate to work with over the years. I’m grateful for the people in my life and this university — this is a special place.”
Swanson’s milestone framed the night. He became the seventh Division I coach in history — and one of four currently coaching — to reach 500 wins, a total built across 36 years at Dartmouth, Stanford and Virginia.
The Cavaliers’ (12-2-3, 6-2-2 ACC) build-up shape of a 2-3 approach, with the fullbacks pushing high and the defensive line rotating into a back three, allowed for smooth ball movement across the back.
Virginia controlled large stretches of the first half with patient possession and quick switches of play, but a mix of rushed touches and ambitious passes kept the breakthrough from coming. The Eagles (5-8-5, 1-7-2 ACC) stayed compact centrally, funneling the Cavaliers wide and disrupting the final ball.
“We started off well, we just didn’t take our chances well,” Swanson said. “It was disappointing at the half to not be up and have it scoreless at that time. We pushed forward in the second half and got a couple of goals.”
After the break, though, Virginia’s persistence finally paid off. In the 49th minute, senior midfielder Meredith McDermott nearly put the Cavaliers ahead when she slipped behind the Golden Eagles’ defense. Boston College’s junior goalkeeper Olivia Shippee raced off her line to deny the chance.
Four minutes later, the pressure came in full force. Junior defender Tatum Galvin was clipped making a run inside the box, Virginia was granted a penalty, and senior forward Maggie Cagle buried the penalty to the right side for a 1-0 lead in the 53rd minute.
The Cavaliers doubled their lead in the 59th minute after a handball in the box was confirmed by Video Assistant Referee. Junior forward Allie Ross buried the penalty bottom right of the net to put Virginia comfortably ahead 2–0.
Boston College’s best moment of the match came in the 80th minute, when freshman midfielder Tess Barrett fired twice from the top of the box in quick succession. The first went over the net, and junior goalkeeper Victoria Safradin reacted sharply on the second shot to make the save and preserve the Cavaliers' two-goal advantage.
By the final whistle, Virginia had outshot Boston College 30-8, including a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal. The Cavaliers also earned nine corner kicks compared to the Eagles’ three.
Virginia now turns their attention to postseason play, as they travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to take on No. 6 Florida State in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. The Cavaliers will face the Seminoles Sunday at 8 p.m.
Virginia fell to Florida State late in a closely-contested matchup last week 3-2. The Seminoles displayed an aggressive style of play and applied constant pressure to the Cavaliers' buildup — relying on athleticism in their offensive approach.
“Another chance and a great opportunity for us,” Swanson said. “I have a lot of confidence and belief in this team, we are a team that has shown our quality throughout this season and our best soccer is still in front of us.”
For Virginia, Thursday night checked all the boxes — a milestone for its coach, a composed response to recent frustrations and a spot in the ACC Tournament with momentum in hand. The Cavaliers have embodied the principles of their program through their play this season. Now comes the bigger test.
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