Rain fell in sheets throughout the second period in a late Saturday night thriller at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem.
A 55-minute lightning delay with nearly 10 minutes left in the first period did not stop No. 3 Wake Forest (8-0-0, 1-0-0 ACC) from seizing control just minutes after play resumed.
That single goal in the 37th minute from sophomore forward Kylie Maxwell off of a beautiful feed from graduate forward Henley Tippins, who drew multiple Virginia defenders, was enough to give No. 10 Virginia (4-1-2, 0-1-0 ACC) its first loss of 2026, 1-0.
In the opening minutes, Virginia came out aggressively, earning three corners in the first eight minutes, and second-year defender Liv Rademaker was awarded a free kick in the second minute on a Wake Forest foul.
On the opposite side, Wake Forest’s backline was sharp from the jump, as the Demon Deacons consistently capitalized on Cavalier turnovers and played suffocating one-on-one defense against Virginia forwards for much of the half.
In the 11th minute, an errant touch in Virginia’s territory led to an excellent pass up the field to Maxwell off a Cavalier turnover, leaving fourth-year goalkeeper Victoria Safradin to make an incredible diving save off a Wake Forest one-on-one opportunity.
A minute later, Tippins appeared to give the Demon Deacons the lead on a header after a well-delivered corner — but the goal was waved off for offside.
Wake Forest dominated possession and generated better opportunities than Virginia in the first period, but the Cavaliers’ defensive effort continued to hold just enough to keep the match scoreless. The Demon Deacons’ passing in congested spaces was consistently sharper. Their floated balls downfield found teammates far more often than Virginia’s, which were frequently overhit, misplaced or picked off.
Second-year midfielder Addison Halpern, Virginia’s leading goal scorer this season, was quiet for most of the half and sat deeper into the opponent’s territory than usual.
Safradin kept Virginia level with a pair of crucial saves until the match was interrupted by the lightning delay. After the stoppage, Wake Forest came out slinging with the strike from Maxwell, as the Demon Deacons found their breakthrough.
Virginia had a look to answer before the period’s end, but the Cavaliers were caught offside in the 40th minute. The Demon Deacons were up 1-0 after a truncated halftime break.
“Unfortunately, the first half really got away from us, and we did not meet the moment, which as the coach I take responsibility for,” Coach Steve Swanson said.
Virginia showed urgency out of the gate, pushing for an equalizer to tie up the match. Wake Forest’s dominant press, particularly in the midfield, remained a problem for the Cavaliers as they struggled to find gaps in the Demon Deacons’ defense.
Halpern came alive in the final 45 minutes of play, firing two well-struck balls in the first 10 minutes of the second half. She later drew a foul in the 60th minute off a stutter step just outside the box, which earned Virginia a free kick, though Halpern’s shot fell wide right.
By the 60th minute, Virginia was passing the ball with purpose, using its width to force Wake Forest into a more reactive position defensively. The Demon Deacons also attempted to counter with their own sense of urgency, looking for a second goal to put the match away.
The Cavaliers had another chance to equalize in the 70th minute, off a masterful pass from third-year forward Sophia Bradley perfectly placed to fourth-year forward Allie Ross, but the two could not connect. Four minutes later, Bradley was called offside on yet another sequence, with junior goalkeeper Valentina Amaral getting a piece of the play.
Virginia never stopped probing for a goal-scoring opportunity. The team’s struggle to find the back of the net was certainly not for a lack of trying.
The closest Virginia came to an equalizer arrived in the 84th minute. Second-year midfielder and forward Carrie Helfrich threaded an incredible ball into the box, and fourth-year midfielder Ella Carter found the net off a header. It appeared as though the Cavaliers had finally found their moment after controlling possession for much of the second half, but the celebration was short-lived. Video review overturned the goal for two Cavaliers offside, and Virginia’s best chance at a draw was erased.
Despite the Cavaliers’ effort and resilience down the stretch, Wake Forest’s dominance this season proved too much to counter, especially on its home field. Wake Forest is unbeaten in its last 22 home matches. Virginia outshot the Demon Deacons 12-10, but Wake Forest was able to continue its streak of allowing only one goal thus far this season.
“We played very hard and well after going down,” Swanson said. “I’m proud of the way we fought and the soccer we displayed in the second half. Our challenge is to put 90 minutes of good soccer together on both sides of the ball. That is what it takes to win consistently in this conference.”
Virginia continues its schedule with more ACC play, hosting Miami at 7 p.m. Thursday at Klöckner Stadium.
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