This was Virginia’s match to win. The Cavaliers (7-1-3, 3-0-3 ACC) had their names written all over the game ball as a flurry of chances were created from the opening to the closing. Team chemistry was on full display with possession going in Virginia's favor — and against Notre Dame — throughout.
It was smooth sailing to a Friday night lights triumph at Klöckner Stadium — until all of sudden it wasn’t.
A 20th minute opening goal paced Virginia for most of the match until a heart-wrenching 86th minute equalizer by the Fighting Irish (7-2-4, 2-1-2) leveled the final score to 1-1 apiece.
“Really disappointing to give up a goal inside five minutes and not take all three points," Coach George Gelnovatch said. "It feels like a loss. We had chances to make it 2-0 and didn't do it to close the game out, so, it’s disappointing.”
Although Virginia expanded its unbeaten streak to eight, the sweet taste of victory escaped for the third time during this streak.
Keeping the same starting 11 from Sunday’s 1-0 upset against then-No. 2 NC State, the Cavaliers shot out the gates early pressuring the Fighting Irish defense.
Freshly inserted into the lineup, junior forward AJ Smith was the catalyst for the Virginia attack. First flirting with a potential goal in the eight minute, a well-positioned Smith just overshot what looked to be a clean score into the back of the net.
Another opportunity presented itself off a Cavalier free kick as freshman forward Nick Simmonds received a pass into midfield, lacerating the ball through the Notre Dame defense, he found sophomore defender Alex Parvu free on his right side.
A well calculated cross from Parvu streamlined to Smith, finishing the job and putting the Cavaliers on the board. Marking his second goal in three matches, Smith is finally starting to find his footing late in the season — perfect timing for a team with championship aspirations.
Like the instruments in an orchestra, Virginia’s playmaking operated in harmonic fashion as Parvu and Simmonds tallied their fifth assist and 12th point on the year respectively. Simmonds, being one of two freshmen to be added on to the Herman Trophy watchlist, continued his knack of having an imprint on the Cavalier’s goal-scoring.
When scoring first this season, Virginia is 6-0-2 — a record that shows its ability to maintain and solidify leads.
The second half consisted of two teams gunning back and forth. One looking to add on to a promising start. And one grasping for life. The Cavaliers and Fighting Irish went "mano a mano," five shots for the former and four for the latter.
Virginia's ability to solidify was denied in the second half with its closest chance being junior forward Marcos Dos Santos’ far shot wide from the goal in the 74th minute — adding on to the missed opportunities that could’ve elevated the squad to victory.
The Cavaliers’ chances to maintain the lead were also denied as a low cross reached Notre Dame’s Jake Flannigan for a demoralizing late match score. That brace was just the sixth conceded at Klöckner after Virginia recorded three straight home shutouts to start the year.
However frustrating a draw may be, it helped the Cavaliers snap a three game losing streak to the Fighting Irish, propelling them to be tied for first in the ACC along with Stanford. The month of October treats Virginia well as they now hold a record of 14-3-6 in the month since 2022.
With four matches left, Virginia will look to close the back end of its season on a high note as it faces No. 23 UNC Greensboro Tuesday at 7 p.m. at home.
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