Women’s Soccer: No. 12 UVA secures 4-1 win at VCU

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The No. 12 Virginia women’s soccer team used four goals in the first half – including a goal in the opening minute – to take a 4-1 victory over VCU at Klöckner Stadium on Sunday.

GOALS (ASSISTS)
1’ – UVA: Meredith McDermott (Maggie Cagle)
4’ – UVA: Maggie Cagle (Alexis Theoret)
12’ – UVA: Talia Staude (Yuna McCormack)
32 – UVA: Allie Ross (Alexis Theoret)
47’ – VCU: Kanna Matsuhisa (unassisted)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Hoos (5-0-1) struck quickly against the Rams with Meredith McDermott finding the net in the first minute. Maggie Cagle brought the ball down the right side and sent it in to McDermott near the spot who put it in to the left of the keeper. Four minutes later, Cagle notched her own goal as Alexis Theoret found her at the top right of the box. Cagle took the ball in stride, made a step around her defender and slotted the shot home past the far post.

Talia Staude made it a three-goal lead in the 12th minute as Yuna McCormack received the ball on the back side off a corner and dribbled in before taking a shot. McCormack’s shot was deflected to the feet of Staude near the penalty mark for the finish.

Allie Ross capped the first-half scoring in the 32nd minute. She played the ball down the left side and cut in before the ball was dispossessed. VCU attempted to clear, but played the ball to the feet of Theoret who sent it back in to Ross on a run at the top left corner of the box. Ross fired across goal and in past the upper corner of the far post.

A turnover helped the Rams (1-3-2) get on the board in the 47th minute as Kanna Matsuhisha found the ball at her feet and fired the shot on the empty net to cut the score to 4-1.

The strike from Allie Ross the fourth goal of the half!#GoHoos |#ALLIN pic.twitter.com/uxDM5U9mn5

— Virginia Women’s Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) September 3, 2023

NOTES

• McDermott’s goal is the second this season by a Cavalier in the opening minute of play. The last was a Cagle goal on a penalty kick against Radford (8/20).
• McDermott’s goal in at 0:55 is the fifth-fastest goal scored in the regular-season in program history.
• The four goals is the most in the first half by the Hoos since last year’s regular-season game against Farleigh Dickinson (8/28/22).
• It’s the fourth time in six games the Cavaliers have scored at least four goals this season.
• Virginia is now 6-0-2 all-time against VCU.

FROM HEAD COACH STEVE SWANSON

“We finished some really good goals and got on top of them early. There were a lot of positives, especially in the first half, but this week in both games we’ve kind of lost the momentum in the second half. We lost the second half today for all practical purposes, not just by the score, but by the way the game went. So there are things we have to address. We finished well, but sometimes you can’t equate good finishing with a good overall performance. VCU battled hard and area  tough team to break down, so credit us for getting the goals they did. But, they didn’t quit and it didn’t feel like a 4-1 game; that’s a credit to them, their work ethic and their mentality.”

UP NEXT

Virginia returns to action on Thursday, when the Cavaliers close out non-conference play against Iowa. Kick is set for 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.