Virginia (7-3-2, 3-3-0 ACC) saw three strikes hit the back of the net as the clock ticked down late in the second half to break open a game that SMU (5-5-4, 0-4-2 ACC) fought the entire second period to equalize.
The Cavaliers dictated early play with high pressure, breaking through in the ninth minute as third-year forward Giovana Canali secured her third goal of the season to put Virginia ahead 1-0.
In the eighth minute, a sloppy Virginia turnover deep near its own goal turned into a perfectly executed Tar Heel goal from sophomore forward Bella Devey on the left side of the net. 26 seconds later, North Carolina scored again — the same player, same play and same strike — catching Virginia flat-footed twice in a row.
The Cavaliers (5-1-2, 1-1-0 ACC) were dominant in a 3-0 defeat over the Hurricanes (6-2-1, 1-1-0 ACC).
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.
The ACC slate opens against a defense that has hardly blinked all season, in a conference where dominant wins come at a premium.
In a back-and-forth battle defined by defensive physicality and backline saves, the Hoyas and the Cavaliers were both held scoreless after 90 minutes of action.
Thursday’s affair proved to be, especially in the early stages of the game, a bit of a wake up call for Virginia. Tennessee came out of the gates looking like a much better team, with clearly superior energy, a point that the Cavaliers’ head coach Steve Swanson emphasized postgame.
“Full marks to Yale. They played hard, were very organized and it was hard to break them down,” Coach Steve Swanson said. “We’re happy to get the win, but our overall quality today was not what we hoped. It could be a lot better.”
The game showcased both great and lackluster moments for Virginia. The Cavaliers dominated the first half of proceedings, but came out of the break forgetting everything they had done right.
When the Cavaliers had opportunities to attack on the wings, they attacked relentlessly. Great deliveries came from both sides of the pitch into the Northwestern box, putting duress on the Wildcats’ backline and not allowing them to regroup and counter.
With the Cavaliers’ first contest scheduled for Wednesday, three Cavalier Daily beat writers tackle questions about this year’s squad, anticipated matchups and how the team may perform during the 2026-27 campaign.
“It's one of those things about our sport you really love, and it's hard to accept at times,” Swanson said.
An entire campaign comes down to the postseason, where the lights are brightest and frigid temperatures blanket Klöckner Stadium.
“I think that the more energy we can bring and the more that we can celebrate one another,” Ryan said, “it'll be the difference between winning and losing games in the postseason.”
Three beat writers analyze what Virginia needs to fix, and how this super talented squad can return to the College Cup for the first time since 2021.
With an Oct. 30 win against Boston College, Swanson reached 500 wins.
“It’s one team at a time,” Swanson said.
"We were knocking on the door for the third one. It’s tough to take.”
Virginia showed impressive grit to overcome a great conference opponent.
